The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned one Abubakar Sadiq Mahmoud and his wife, Aisha Salihu Malkohi (a.k.a Ummitah, Arab Money), over N410m fraud.
PUNCH Metro learnt that they were arraigned Friday before Justice Aisha Mahmud of the Kano State High Court sitting in Kano, on five-count charges bordering on misappropriation of funds, amounting to N410,518,000.
While the wife is currently in the EFCC custody, the husband is however said to be at large as of the time of filing this report.
One of the charges read: “That you, Aisha Salihu Malkohi and Abubakar Sadiq Mahmoud (now at large) on or about 2022 in Kano, Kano State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did obtain the sum of N225,259,000 belonging to Farida Ibrahim between 6th January and 16th December 2022 into an account bearing Abubakar Sadiq Mahmoud domiciled at Zenith Bank. That the said money was paid to you for the purchase and supply of 64 cars, from Saudi Arabia, facts of which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence.”
The defendant had pleaded not guilty to all the five counts when they were read to her.
In view of her plea, EFCC counsel, Zarami Mohammed, prayed the court for a trial date.
Defence counsel, G. I. Abubakar, moved a bail application for his client, which was opposed by Mohammed.
Therefore, Justice Mahmud adjourned the matter to December 15, 2023, for ruling on the bail application, remanding the defendant in the EFCC custody pending ruling on her bail application.
Malkohi was arrested by investigators of the EFCC in Kano following a petition from Farida Ibrahim and Ibrahim Mohammed Abdulrahman, alleging that she conspired with her husband and defrauded them of their hard-earned money under the guise of supplying them with cars, gold, electronics and kitchen utensils from Saudi Arabia.
The EFCC, in a statement on its X handle, on Monday, said it conducted a thorough investigation, which revealed that “the defendant had collected a total sum of N410,518,000 (Four Hundred and Ten Million, Five Hundred and Eighteen Thousand Naira only) through bank accounts belonging to her company, Golden Grass Hill International Ltd and her husband’s Zenith Bank account.”
Further investigation, the EFCC said, had also revealed that the defendant, alongside her husband, who is still at large, “diverted the monies into several bank accounts.”
SOURCE: PUNCH
