Justice Jude Dagat of the Federal High Court,
Maiduguri, on Monday, November 18, 2024, convicted and sentenced one Mpada
Ishaku Dzarma to nine years imprisonment.
Dzarma was first arraigned on May 4th, 2024 by the
Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering and cybercrime to the
tune of N 9,000,000.00 (Nine Million Naira).
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Mpada Ishaku
Dzarma between 2023 and 2024 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction
of this Honourable Court did directly take possession of aggregate sum of
N9,000,000.00 (nine million naira) only into your Access Bank with Account No.
1233383458, Mpada Ishaku Dzarma being the naira equivalent value of the Cash
App, Pampay, and Gift Cards denominated in United States of America Dollars
which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known is proceeds of your fraud
or form part of an unlawful act to wit: falsely representing yourself to
unsuspecting foreign nationals amongst who are; Nils Kaptur with social media
account @nilf_kpt, Grace Wamalwa, @ejstorm53 e.t.c as a software engineer
based in Holly wood, Texas and could unblock and activate blocked tiktok
account and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the
Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 and punishable under
Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty, which set the stage
for the commencement of trial.
Similarly, at the resumed hearing of the case, the
defendant through his counsel H. M Dauda prayed the court to change his plea.
Thereafter, the charge was read to him and he pleaded
“guilty” to all the count charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
Justice Dagat thereafter, convicted and sentenced
Dzarma on count one to four years imprisonment with an option of fine of
N200,000.00 ( Two Hundred Thousand Naira only) and on count two he
was sentenced to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of
N200,000.00.
The Judge further ordered the forfeiture of iPhone 14
pro max, Android phone Redmi 4C model, used Toyota Corolla 2008, five pieces of
Blink necklace and one blink penchant to the Federal Government of Nigeria that
were recovered from him in the course of investigation.
The convict’s journey to the Correctional Centre
began when he was arrested by operatives of Maiduguri’s Zonal Directorate of
the EFCC for internet-related offences. He was charged to court and
convicted.
In another development, one Amuda Ayuba was arraigned
on Monday, November 18, 2024, before Justice Jude Dagat of the Federal High
Court, on a one-count charge for the offence of Money Laundering to the tune of
N 401,006.98 (Four Hundred and One Thousand, Six Naira, Ninety-eight kobo).
The lone count reads: “That you Amuda Ayuba sometime
in 2021, in Maiduguri, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst
being a POS Operator did accept the transfer of a total sum of N 401,006.98
(Four Hundred and One Thousand, Six Naira, Ninety-eight kobo) into your
first and second POS account No. 1040660023 and 1040906053, account name Amuda
Ayuba domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc from a customer whose identity you fail to
verify and undertake due diligence of the customer before carrying on transaction
of electronic money transfer and thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 4(1)&(2) and Section 19(1)(F) of the Money Laundering (Prevention
and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same
Act.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges
preferred against him.
Counsel to the prosecution Faruk Muhammad prayed the
court for a trial and date and to remand the defendant in prison custody.
Justice Dagat adjourned for the commencement of trial
and remanded the defendant in prison custody.
The defendant’s journey to the Correctional Centre
began when he was arrested by operatives of Maiduguri’s Zonal Directorate of
the EFCC for failing to verify and undertake due diligence before carrying
on the transaction of electronic money transfer.
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