EFCC arraigns Umar for N320m fraud

Ahmed Tijjani Umar arraigned on four-count charge of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and issuance of dud cheque

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today November 24, 2016 arraigned one Ahmed Tijjani Umar and his company, Minanta Enterprises Nigeria Limited before Justice Bello Shinkafi on a four count charge of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and issuance of dud cheque.

The accused person allegedly obtained fertilizer worth N320,000,000 (Three Hundred and Twenty Million Naira Only) through his company Minanta Enterprises Nigeria Limited from the complainants Musa, Aliyu and Sufiyanu Marafa on ground that he would pay them as soon as Zamfara State paid his contract sum.

It was further alleged that after he got paid, Tijjani refused to pay the complainants. He later issued them with a cheques for N76, 000,000 and N7, 580,000 to Sufiyanu Marafa while Musa Aliyu received a cheque in the sum of N206,700,000. On presenting the cheques, they were returned unpaid due to lack funds in the account.

One of the charge read that ” You Ahmed Tijjani Umar being the Managing Director of Minanta Enterprises Nigeria Limited and Minanta Enterprises Nigeria Limited sometime between 2011 and 2012 in Gusau, Zamfara State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired among yourselves to commit an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in the sum of N320,000,000 (Three Hundred and Twenty Million Naira only) worth of fertilizer supplied to you by Musa Aliyu and Sufiyanu Marafa which you onward supplied to Zamfara State Government for 2011/2012 wet session being paid via voucher B003/2011 and 4029/2012 refused to pay them and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 96 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 97 of the same Law”.

The accused person pleaded not guilty.

Prosecution counsel, Hanafi Sa’ad applied that the accused be remanded in EFCC custody as the commission has another criminal charge pending against the accused person in the High Court of Kaduna State.

Kola Olowookere for the accused person applied orally that his client be admitted to bail.

Hanafi objected to the oral submission of the defense counsel. He told the court that the accused person ought to have been arraigned since 2013, but jumped the administrative bail granted to him by the EFCC.

“It is our humble submission that in granting bail, this court exercises its discretion judicially and judiciously and that can only be attained by hearing both parties formally. And mission for today is not for hearing of bail application”. Hanafi Said.

The court agreed with the submission of the prosecution counsel and asked that the parties present formal applications before the court. He ordered that the accused person be remanded in EFCC custody.

The case has been adjourned to November 28, 2016 for hearing of bail application and 11th and 12th of January 2017 for commencement of trial.