The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, May 3, 2022, arraigned one Mallam Ali Dala before Justice B.M Umar of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a three count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and forgery to the tune of N800,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand Naira only).

The defendant fraudulently collected the said sum from Mohammed Zailani for the purchase of a plot of land located behind the Federal Road Safety Corps’ office, Maiduguri, Borno State.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Mallam Ali Dala on or about August 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N800,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Mohammed Zailani as purchase price for a plot of land laying and situated behind Road Safety Office, Maiduguri, Borno State purportedly registered as BO/20704 on plot Nos 634 under the guise that you own the said property, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by EFCC.

Counsel for the prosecution, A. A Ayenshola prayed the court to remand the defendant and fix a date for the trial to commence. But M.B Bello, through an oral application, moved for the bail of the defendant.

Justice Umar refused the oral application for bail, ordered the remand of the defendant and adjourned till May 18, 2023 for hearing of the bail application.

Media & Publicity

03/05/2023