The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Gombe zonal office arraigned one Umar Isa, on January 11, 2019 before Justice Hassan Dikko of the Federal High Court, Bauchi State. He was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on forgery, altering and obtaining money by false pretence.
Umar is alleged to have swindled Emeka Ezeh in a land scam. The crime was unearthed after the EFCC investigated Ezeh’s petition, in which he alleged that sometimes in March 2016, he jointly purchased a land with a woman, Donna Musa, from the defendant, but was given forged documents.
Trouble started when he was about to develop the plot and he was arrested by the owner of the plot for “illegal encroachment” on the property located at DP 42, Plot No.217 New GRA, Bauchi. It turned out that after collecting the money, Umar gave him a forged Certificate of Occupancy, and was in fact, not the owner of the land.
Further inquiry at the Bauchi State’s Ministry of Land and Survey, revealed that the owner of the plot was one Abdulkadir Babayo, and not Umar.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Umar Isa sometimes in March 2016 at Bauchi, Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently obtain the sum of N2, 700,000 (Two Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) only by false pretence from Emeka Ezeh and Donna Musa that the said sum is for the purchase of landed property with Certificate of Occupancy No. BA/23126 Bauchi State, which sum you diverted to your personal use and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(1)(a) and Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 respectively”.
He pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges.
Prosecuting counsel, Ndeh Godspower, thereafter applied for a date for “hearing” and prayed the Court to remand the defendant in prison, pending the hearing date.
Defence counsel, Hassan Umar, moved the motion for the bail of his client.
Godspower, however, told the Court that he only got the application and will need time to respond to it.
Justice Dikko, thereafter adjourned to January 25, 2019 and remanded the defendant in prison custody.
Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
11th January, 2019
