EFCC Arraigns Judge for N58.5m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, June 17, 2016 arraigned the duo of Suleiman Elkana,  an area court judge in Adamawa State and chairman, Justice Multi-purpose Cooperative Society Limited, Adamawa State and Solomon Philip, the Cooperative’s Secretary, before Justice Balkisu Aliyu of Federal High Court Yola, Adamawa State on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretense to the tune of N58,550,555( Fifty- Eight Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty-Five Naira).

 

The complainant, Isreal. C. Nwagbo, an employee of Coscharis Motors, allegedly entered into a contract with the Justice Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society for the supply of 1,846 units of TVC motorcycles for its members.

 

According to Nwagbo, there was an agreement for payment of the motorcycles through monthly deductions from members’ salaries.

 

However, the accused persons allegedly diverted the said amount for their personal use.

 

Count two of the charge reads:

‘‘ That you, Honourable Suleiman Elkana, Solomon Maken and one Amina Musa, now deceased, sometime in September, 2010 at Yola Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did obtain by false pretense 446 units of TVC motorcycles valued at Fifty-Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira (N57,980,000.00) from Coscharis Motors Limited under the false pretense that the said TVC motorcycles would be disbursed to members of the Justice Multi-purpose Co-operative Society, Adamawa State, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 1 (1) ( a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.

 

The accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.

 

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Isreal Akande, asked for a trial date.

 

 However, the defense counsel, Desmond Adebole, moved an application for the bail of the accused persons.

 

Consequently, Justice Aliyu granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N5 million each and one surety each; the sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and must be verified by the Commission.

 

The case has been adjourned to September 26, 27 and 28, 2016 for commencement of trial.