Justice H.B. Babangida of a Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Jabi, has adjourned hearing in a case of alleged N5 million loan fraud brought against one Sanusi Shehu Kamba by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to May 7, 2019.

Kamba is facing a one-count charge of an alleged N5 million loan fraud perpetrated by him, while working as Managing Director and Chief Executive of AMINU GANDI PETROLEUM LTD.

It was alleged that sometimes in 2010, he borrowed the sum of N5 million from one Obi Maduka, within Abuja, promising to pay back after three months, but the defendant failed to repay back the said sum, nor repaid back the interest accrued on it.

At the resumed hearing on April 9, 2019, the prosecution witness, Obi Maduka Victor, led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rita Ogah, told the court how the defendant approached him with one of his colleagues, Imabong, a customer service officer that she has a customer she wanted to introduce to him adding that the said customer was in dire need of financial assistance.

The witness said that at the initial time, he was not interested in assisting the customer, but his colleague mounted pressure on him for a couple of days before he succumbed to the pressure.

According to him, he met the defendant in company of one Army officer, Major Musa and said the defendant told him that he lifts petroleum product from depot under Petroleum Equalization Fund, PEF, and that the federal Government will pay him subsidy at the end of the quarter.

He explained that the defendant presented volumes of documents and showed him as evidence adding that he needed N1.5 million to process the debt of N9 million being owed him by the federal government.

Maduka said: “I asked him what he has to secure the money, knowing the tradition of the bank. The Army man, Musa who was standing for him presented his salary account cheque and land document. I told him that the money I want to give him is not mine and that people who have the money will need 10 per cent, which he agreed.

“He said he needed the money for one month and pleaded with me to make every possible effort to assist him with that money. I agreed to raise N1.5Million for him for a period of one month. He secured the loan with Major Musa’s salary account cheque, land document and the defendant company account cheques."

Maduka further added that after one month, the defendant did not fulfil his promise.

He said: "He demanded for additional one month, but before the end of the second month, he approached me again and told me that he had much pressure from Major Musa, because the people he collected the land document from were disturbing him as he also promised to return the land document to them in one month.

“He pleaded that I should return the salary account cheque and land document and promised that he will give me the money he promised me.

"I gave him, but the second month ended and there was no payment, at the end of the third month, there was still no payment.

"Finally, at the beginning of the fourth month, Petroleum Equalization Funds paid him something above N9 million into his Zenith Bank Account of Aminu Gandi Petroleum LTD; which he runs. At the end of the day, he paid the loan."

The witness said that the defendant approached him again with another document and told him that he had N32 million with PEF, and that he needs another N11 million to reclaim the money, which he sourced and gave the defendant N11 million in tranches of N3 million, N2.5 million, N3 million and N3.5 million, respectively.

The witness stated that the defendant collected the money in cash in his residence and office premises and he gave him cheques to cover the money. “At the end of the day, N11 million was collected by him and I didn’t see him again”, he said.

The witness said every of their transaction was recorded over the phone adding that after three months, that the defendant was nowhere to be found.

Maduka said: “I pleaded with him, because the people I collected the money from were threatening my life. In 2011, some of the customers I collected the money from reported me to my bank branch. I knew I was not allowed to collect money from one customer to give another customer, so, I lost my job. I told him but he still didn’t do anything”, the witness explained.

“Around March, I presented the cheques he gave me which were unpaid, he sent N500,000 through my GTB account and N1.5 million through his lawyer. I pleaded with the lawyer that I have lost my job and most of the money I collected is not mine. The lawyer promised me that the money will be paid. 2011 ended and in 2012, I intensified effort through calls after I have confirmed that he is on the run as he refused to come.”

Justice Babangida, thereafter, adjourned to May 7, 2019, for continuation of trial.



Media & Publicity

April 10, 2019