Featured

EFCC docks two unionists for N217m loan scam in Bauchi

Published

10 years ago

March 1, 2017

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, arraigned Usman B Abdurahman aka (Koloshin Das ) and Hafizu Dauda of the Bauchi State Judiciary before Justice M. A Sambo of the Bauchi State High Court on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining of goods under false pretence and presenting false documents.

National Daily reliably gathered that the suspects are the secretary and treasurer respectively of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, (AUPCTRE) Judiciary Branch, Bauchi State.

They were arrested following a petition by a top judicial officer in the state, alleging that sometime in 2009, the association entered into contract agreement with De-Damak Nigeria Limited to supply 3,000 units of motorcycles at the cost of N217,000,000 for distribution to its members.

Based on management guarantee and irrevocable standing payment order (ISPO) by the High Court of Bauchi State, the unionists allegedly diverted many units of the motorcycles and sold them to M.D. Tofa Investment Limited in Kano.

It was also discovered that even the few names submitted by the union as beneficiaries of the loan for remittance were fictitious; others were either retired or dead, while majority could not be found in the central data base of the Bauchi State civil Service.

The count two of the charge reads, “ that you USMAN B. ABDURAHMAN and HAFIZU DAUDA, Sometime between October and November 2009 in Bauchi, Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this High Court, while being the Secretary and Treasurer, respectively for the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, (AUPCTRE) Judiciary Branch, Bauchi State, and in such capacities did with intent to defraud obtained as loan, 3000 units of motorcycle models AX 100 and CG 125 respectively valued at N217, 000, 000. 00 from De-Damak Nig. Ltd under the false pretence that the motorcycles were to be distributed to members of the (AUPCTRE) union which you only utilized part and diverted 1, 170 Units valued at N87, 050, 000. 00 to your personal benefit thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006”.

Though the defendants pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all the charges, the prosecution counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, urged the court to fix a date for trial in line with the practice direction of the Bauchi State High Court and also to remand the accused persons in prison custody.