Aisha Alkali Wakil, famously known as “Mama Boko Haram,” along with Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Soyade, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for their involvement in a fraudulent scheme amounting to N40 million. The ruling was delivered by Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri.
According to Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the trio of Wakil, Daura, and Soyade were convicted after being charged with two counts of conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretenses. They were accused of deceiving Bashir Abubakar, the CEO of Duty-Free Shop Ltd, into believing they would execute a contract for the supply of five x-ray machines with solar energy.
The defendants, who respectively held positions as CEO, Programme Manager, and Country Director of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, a non-governmental organization, pleaded “not guilty” to the charges brought against them.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Counsel A.I. Arogha, presented four witnesses and submitted 17 pieces of evidence to the court, establishing the fraudulent nature of the scheme.
Justice Fadawu subsequently found the defendants guilty and handed down a 10-year prison sentence for each count. Additionally, the court ordered the trio to collectively pay N40 million in restitution to Bashir Muhammad, the victim of their fraudulent activities.
The judge further stipulated that the prison terms should be served concurrently.
Oyewale emphasized in the statement released by the EFCC that the convictions stemmed from a complaint filed by a petitioner who alleged that the defendants had defrauded him through the false promise of supplying x-ray machines to their NGO. Despite receiving payment, they failed to fulfill the contract obligations.
The sentencing marks a significant development in the fight against financial fraud, underscoring the commitment of law enforcement agencies to uphold justice and hold perpetrators of economic crimes accountable.