The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of Aisha Alkali Wakil, (a.k.a Mama Boko Haram) alongside Tahiru Alhaji, Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode.
Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court sentenced them on Thursday, September 29, 2022 to seven years imprisonment each, for the offences of conspiracy and another seven years for obtaining money by false pretence.
Before their conviction, the defendants were first arraigned on September 14, 2020 before Justice Kumaliya on two count charges for conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence to the tune of N15 million.
The second count of the charge reads: “That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyode while serving as Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager and Country Director of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (Non-Governmental Organisation), respectively and Saidu Muktar (at large) sometime in November 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira) only from one Honourable Bukar Kachalla of Hammiza Global Resources Limited under the pretext of executing a purported contract of supply of 3 units of Chemistry Analyser Solar Energy Brand Model 1800 (UK Version), which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable Under Section 1 (3) of the Same Act.”
The defendants pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges, prompting prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, to present six witnesses and tender several documents as exhibits before the court and thereafter closed his case on October 27, 2020.
Delivering judgment, Justice Kumaliya found the defendants guilty on all the charges and sentenced them to seven years imprisonment each without an option of fine.
The judge further sentenced them to another seven years imprisonment without an option of fine each for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence.
He ordered the convicts to jointly restitute the sum of N15 million to their victim, in default of which they are to serve additional five years jail term.
The convicts made their ways to the Correctional Centres when they falsely obtained the sum of N15 million from a petitioner, in the guise of providing solar energy for his use. They neither offered the service nor returned his money to him. Justice Kumaliya had earlier convicted and sentenced ‘Mama Boko Haram’ to five years imprisonment on two-count charges of conspiracy and obtaining over N71million by false pretence. She was jailed on June 15, 2022.
