The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Office, on February 13, 2019 arraigned two men, Ibrahim Adamu and Usifio Lucky Osemekhia before Justice Bello Muhammad Shinkafi of the State High Court, sitting in Gusau, Zamfara State on a four-count charge that border on impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence.

Trouble began for Adamu, Osemekhia and others, now at large, when a case of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, impersonation and forgery was reported against them by Abdul-Rafiu Busar, CEO S&A Nigeria Limited and Suleiman Muhammed, CEO Bushira Contractors Nigeria Limited to the Commission

The complainants alleged that sometime in 2017, one Magaji Bature Giwa approached them with a contract proposal to supply 15 Toyota Prado V6, 20 Toyota Camry V6, and 25 Toyota Camry V8 at the cost of N719,550,000.00 ( Seven Hundred and Nineteen Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only and another contract for the supply of electric transformer in the sum of N903,650,000.00 (Nine Hundred and Three Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only to Zamfara State Government.

The complainants alleged that they paid 10 per cent each on the two proposed contracts. In addition Bushira Contractors Nigeria Limited said it paid a further N5.350million, likewise S&A Nigeria Enterprise said it later coughed out an additional N38.967million to the alleged scammers.

These sums were in addition to N350,000 they each paid as registration fee for the supposed contract, totalling over N44million they paid into different accounts provided by Adamu who claimed to be Special Assistant to Zamfara State Governor on Special Duties and who provided the victims with the forged contract papers.

The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

One of the count reads: "that you Ibrahim Adamu (a.k.a Hon. Bello), Usifo Osemekhia and others now at large sometime in 2017 in Gusau within the judicial division of this honourable court with intent to defraud, obtained a sum of N45,017,000.00 (Forty Five Million, Seventeen Thousand Naira) from Abdul-Rafiu Busari, the CEO of S&A Nigeria Enterprise  and Saadatu Ayinla, the CEO of Bushira Contractors Nigeria Ltd., under the pretence that you would secure contract for them in Zamfara State Government, a pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the Same Act."

The counsel of the EFCC, J. Saidi asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial while the defendants should be remanded in prison custody; but the defence counsel, Shamsudeen Abdullahi prayed the court to grant his clients bail.

Justice Shinkafi granted bail to the defandants in the sum of N50million each and two sureties in like sum, who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court. The sureties must also have landed properties with Certificate of Occupancy, CofO, to be deposited with the court registrar.The matter was adjourned to March 28, 2019.



Media & Publicity

February 13, 2019