Fagun, right, Iyamu, left.
Court sends to prison man who allegedly swindled Borno APC chairman of N70m
Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on Wednesday ordered that one Tope Fagun who allegedly defrauded the Borno State chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC of N70m be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) had arraigned the defendant on a two-count charge of impersonation and fraud.
Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman in a statement on Thursday said the commission arraigned Fagun for presenting himself as Pastor Ize Iyamu, the All APC governorship candidate in last year’s Edo State governorship election, to the Borno State APC chairman, Alhaji Bukar Dalori.
Fagun allegedly fraudulently induced Dalori to deliver him the said sum of N70 million under the pretext that the money was meant to aid the party’s campaign for the election held last year in the state.
One of the charges read: “That you, Tope Jimi Fagun sometimes between July and August, 2020 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and with intent to defraud induced the Borno State Chairman of All Progressive Congress Party (APC), one Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori to cause the gross sum of Seventy Million Naira (N70,000,000.00) only (both in Naira and Dollar currencies) to be delivered to you in cash and via Bank transfers into Access Bank account number 0693630685 and First Bank account number 3053942408 under the false pretence that the said sum was to be utilized in promoting the APC campaign activities in the Edo State 2020 gubernatorial election which fact you knew to be false, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under sections 1(1)(b) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.”
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
The prosecution counsel, Alqasim Jafa’ar, asked the court to remand the defendant in prison and fix a date for trial to commence.
The defence counsel, Alli Apanisile, however, informed the court of a pending application for his client’s bail and prayed the court that he be allowed to move the motion for bail.
Justice Aisha Kumaliya declined the defence counsel’s application ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility.
The Judge adjourned the matter till Nov.24 for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.
