Borno court jails ‘Mama Boko Haram’ over N71.4m fraud

Aisha Wakil, popularly known as “Mama Boko Haram” has been jailed for five years by a Borno State High Court over fraud.

Daily Trust reported that Wakil was re-arraigned in September 2020, alongside Tahiru Daura and Prince Shoyode by the Maiduguri zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Punch Metro gathered that Wakil and the two other defendants were arraigned on two counts of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N71,400,000.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode, whilst being chief executive officer, programme manager and country director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (a non-governmental organisation), sometime in the year 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno state, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, induced one Saleh Ahmed Said of Shuad General Enterprises Ltd to deliver to you 3,000 bags of beans worth N71,400,000 under the false pretence of executing a contract for the supply of same, which you made the said Saleh Ahmed Said to believe that you had the capacity to pay the entire contract sum upon execution, which you knew to be false and you 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.”

Justice Aisha Kumaliya on Tuesday ruled that the prosecution proved the case against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt.

Upon conviction, the judge sentenced the defendants to five years imprisonment without an option of a fine.’

While passing the judgement, Justice Kumaliya ordered the convicts to pay the sum of N30,500,000 as compensation to the victim and warned that they would serve an additional 10-year jail term if they default in paying the fine.