The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday arraigned three individuals before the Federal High Court in Maiduguri over an alleged N42 million contract fraud.
The defendants — Aisha Alkali Wakil, Sa’idu Tahiru Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyede — were brought before Justice Jude K. Dagat of the Federal High Court, Borno State, on a two-count amended charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence.
According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly obtained the sum of N42,000,000 from ABAKS Ventures Nigeria Limited under the guise of executing a purported sub-leased contract.
The EFCC told the court that the accused persons, who served as Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, allegedly induced the complainant to part with the money in 2018 for the completion of a contract said to have been awarded to one Sani M. Adamu, Managing Director of Sani Smart Global Ventures.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants knew the contract arrangement to be false, an offence said to contravene Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
During the proceedings, Wakil and Shoyede pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Daura pleaded guilty.
Following the plea, prosecution counsel, N.T. Iko, urged the court to sentence Daura accordingly and requested an adjournment for the commencement of trial against the other two defendants.
Justice Dagat subsequently adjourned the matter until June 25, 2026, for the sentencing of Daura and the commencement of trial for Wakil and Shoyede.
The court also ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Maiduguri Maximum Correctional Facility pending further proceedings.
The EFCC said investigations revealed that the defendants allegedly collected the N42 million from petitioners for the completion of a purported sub-leased contract which they allegedly knew to be false.