6 businessmen remanded over N4m fraud in Gombe

A Gombe State Chief Magistrate Court has ordered six business men to be remanded in prison custody over allegation of fraud to the tune of over N4 million. The accused persons, Bala Gurgu of Sokoto state, Abdulmalik Dan Shafa, Ibrahim Aliyu, Mohammed Abdullahi, Bashir Khaliru of Tudun Wada Kaduna, Muntaqa Ukashatu of Jibia in Katsina […]

A Gombe State Chief Magistrate Court has ordered six business men to be remanded in prison custody over allegation of fraud to the tune of over N4 million.

The accused persons, Bala Gurgu of Sokoto state, Abdulmalik Dan Shafa, Ibrahim Aliyu, Mohammed Abdullahi, Bashir Khaliru of Tudun Wada Kaduna, Muntaqa Ukashatu of Jibia in Katsina state and a custom officer from Katsina state who was still at large, were alleged to defraud one Alhaji Bello Abubakar of Yelanguruza Ward in Gombe.

According to the police First Information Report (FIR), the accused persons have conspired among themselves and convinced the complainant to deposit the sum of N4 million and N30, 000 into an account under the pretence of supplying bags of rice to him.

The court was told that the accused persons have refused to purchase the rice after withdrawing the money and converted same to their personal use without his consent.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Mela Lakanje, informed the court that the accused were facing three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, and cheating, offenses contrary to Sections 96, 311 and 320 of the Penal Code Law.

When asked by the court if the information contained in the FIR is true, all the accused pleaded not guilty.

In view of their plea, the defense counsel, Barrister Dauda Manu, applied for bail under Sections 341 (2), (a), (b), and (c) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

However, the prosecutor, Inspector Lakanje opposed the application due to an ongoing investigation.
The court presided over by Chief Magistrate Bello Sheriff adjourned the sitting to June 20 for ruling on the bail application. He ordered the accused persons to be remanded in prison custody.