The trial of Aisha Alkali Wakil (popularly called Mama Boko Haram), who is facing a-3 count amended charge for the offence of cheating and obtaining by false pretence before Justice Aisha Kumaliya commenced on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 with the EFCC, presenting its first witness, Ali Tijjani.
The first defendant, Wakil who is the Chief Executive Officer of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (NGO) alongside Prince Lawal Shoyade and Tahiru Saidu Daura Programme Manager and Country Director respectively are facing trial for alleged fraud to the tune of N66, 000, 000 (Sixty Six Million Naira).
A prosecution witness, Ali Tijjani, while being led in evidence by counsel for the EFCC Mukhtar Ali Ahmad, told the court that he knows the defendants and Complete Care and Aid Foundation as a result of an advert he saw in Daily Trust Newspaper for the supply of foodstuff and other valuables.
According to Tijjani, “I went to Complete Care and Aid Foundation’s office and showed interest and I was asked to submit my company’s profile, which I obliged. I was asked to supply rice and maize grain (Biski); I submitted the quotation for both the rice and biski to Complete Care and Aid Foundation.
“My company, AMT MAT Global Venture, was awarded the contract for the supply of 3000 bags of maize grain (biski), which I did not supply
“The first award letter of contract was collected from me and I was issued with a letter for award of contract to supply 1500 bags for both maize flour and grain (biski); the contract sum of 3000 bags is N1, 000, 000 (One Million naira).
Tijjani equally told the court that he was given a store certification and quality assurance after the 3000 bags of maize flour and maize grain (biski) were supplied to Complete Care and Aid Foundation store but complaint was raised that some bags weighed less than 50kg.
He further stated that, “I was assured to be paid after hundred days of supply, but I did not receive a single amount. More so, after a month, Saidu Tahiru Saidu called and informed me that they have an invitation to travel to Morocco and I should finance the trip.
“I sponsored the trip of Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Saidu Daura, Baba Alhaji Hassan and Saidu Mukhtar to Morocco, were I transferred the sum of N3, 000, 000 (Three Million Naira) into the UBA account of Tahiru Saidu Daura from my Access Bank while from my First Bank account I transferred N7, 000, 000 (Seven Million Naira).
“I was given a letter of execution of contracts but I was not paid by the defendants.
Justice Kumaliya admitted in evidence and marked award letter of contract for the supply of 3000 bags of maize flour and maize garin (biski) as exhibit A. the award of contract to finance a trip to Morocco exhibit B, while quality assurance, store certification and certification letter for sponsored trip to Morocco as exhibit C,D and E respectively.
At the resume hearing today, Thursday, March 19, 2020 a second prosecution witness, a staff of First Bank, Salihu Jimoh told Justice Kumaliya that, sometime in October, 2019 the EFCC requested for the account opening package, mandate card, letter of identification and statement of account for Tijjani (PW1).
Justice Kumaliya admitted and marked a First Bank documents account belonging to Tijjani as F1-F19.
Thereafter, Jimoh narrated that on 15th November, 2018, there was a transfer of N3, 000, 00-0 (Three Million Naira) from Tijjani’s account first bank to Dahiru Saidu Daura’s UBA account.
An account officer, working with Access Bank, PW3 Musa Waziri, told the court that, sometime last year, the EFCC wrote a letter requesting for account opening package and statement of account belonging to AMT MAK Global Limited, which the bank obliged the EFCC.
Justice Kumaliya admitted and marked the Access Bank Account documents belonging to AMT MAK Global Limited into evidence as exhibit G1-G42.
Waziri told the court that on 13th &14th November, 2018, there was a separate transfer of N500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each on the two dates from AMT MAK to Dahiru Saidu Daura’s UBA account. On 14th November, 2019, there was also another transfer of N5, 000, 000 (Five Million Naira) from AMT MAK to Daura’s account.
PW4 Hamza Olariwale Musa, a staff of United Bank for Africa narrated to the court how his bank obliged the EFCC with account opening package, statement of account and Bank Verification Number, BVN, in respect of Dahiru Saidu Daura.
Musa told the court that, “on 13th November, 2019, there were two separate transfers of N500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each from AMT MAK into the account of Dahiru Saidu Daura’s account. On 14th November, 2018 there was another transfer of N5, 000, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from AMT MAK access bank account to Dahiru Saidu Daura’s UBA.
“On the 14th November, 2018 there was an inflow of over N6, 000, 000 (Six Million Naira) from AMT MAK account into Dahiru Saidu Daura’s account. And equally, there was another transfer of N3, 000, 000 (Three Million naira) from AMT MAK’s account to Dahiru Saidu’s account.
Thereafter, Justice Kumaliya adjourned till April 24, 2020 for continuation trial.
Tony Orilade
Acting Head, Media & Publicity
March 19, 2020
