From Umar Dankano, Yola
The Chief magistrate Court (l) sitting in Yola,Adamawa state has remanded a 30 year old Ahmed Mohammed in prison custody for allegedly defrauding a lady the sum of N5.152 Million under false pretense.
Arraining the suspect before the court yesterday, police prosecutor, inspector S.S Nicholas informed the court that the suspect (defendant) defrauded a lady by name Munete Benson Atanga of Sangere FUTY quarters of the sum of N5, 152, 400.
Nicholas explained that, the defendant popularly known as Babangida, defrauded his victim after he falsely promised to offer her Covid-19 financial grant or empowerment through his connections to the centre in Abuja.
According to him, Munete Benson Atanga, in a letter of complaint to the Commissioner of Police dated 9th December, 2022, narrated that she met with Ahmed, on the 1st June, 2022, while on her way from Mubi roundabout to Sangere FUTY.
That,Ahmed at first point of contact introduced himself as the biological son of the current Minister of Police Affairs to the lady and demanded for her phone number in order to help her.
He stated that the defendant gave his victim 2 different account numbers of Zenith bank bearing different names and 1 account number of FCMB with a different name.
According to the prosecutor with the believe Ahmed may be help,the lady kept sending money into the account numbers which amounted to over N5million.
Nicholas told the Court that,the suspect also defaruded another woman identified as Hasiya Hamman, of the sum of N870, 000 of Luggere quarters in Yola North LGA using the same tricks.
He said Ahmed has committed offences including ; “criminal breach of trust, cheating and impersonation” contrary to sections 302, 312 and 145 of the penal code law 2018.
As the charges contained in the First Information Report (FIR) were read out and interpreted to the defendant, he voluntarily admitted having defrauded his victims urging the judge to grant him bail.
But swiftly Inspector Nicholas objected the bail application saying based on the police report, the defendant is not a first time offender.
In her ruling, Magistrate Alheri Ishaku refused granting the bail application ordering that the suspect be remanded at the Yola prison facility and subsequently adjourned the case to the 24th May, 2023.
