Justice Jude Dagat of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri on Monday, November 18, 2024 convicted and sentenced one Mpada Ishaku Dzarma to nine years imprisonment.
Dzarma was first arraigned on May 4, 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 N9 million.
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 and on count two, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000.
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 N401,006.98 (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 N401,006.98 (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.
