The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, November 16th, 2011, docked one Muhammad Al Ameen Al Haleel on a four count charge bordering on fraudulent dealings and obtaining the sum of N60million under false pretences.
Specifically, Al Haleel was docked for defrauding a People’s Democratic Party, PDP’s governorship aspirant in Kogi state, Dr Shuaibu Sani Teidi, a former Director of Pension in the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the federation was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Shuaibu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna.
Troubles came for Al Haleel when he conned Shuaibu the sum of N60 million with a promise to get him a soft landing from the EFCC as well as facilitate a meeting between him and the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Vice President Mohammod Namadi Sambo to ensure that Shuaibu got nominated as the Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Kogi state.
Shuaibu, a former Director, Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, victim of the N60million scam, is also an accused person standing trial by the EFCC over a N4.56 billion Pension scam. He is being tried alongside 39 other accused persons.
When the charges were read to Al Haleel, he pleaded not guilty to the four count charges. This spurred his counsel, Muhammad Said Garuba to make an oral application for bail as he urged the judge to use his discretion. But prosecution counsel, Austin Emumejakpor opposed the bail application, as he said that the application should be made formally.
Justice Shuaibu while ruling on the bail application, said discretion cannot be exercised in vacuum as he maintained that a written application and a supporting affidavit had to be placed before the court.
The Judge also warned parties to the case to avoid any legal technicalities that could delay the case. He adjourned the matter till November 30th and December 1st , 2011 for trial. He ordered the accused person to be remanded in maximum prison, Kaduna.
Count two of the four count charge reads “That you Mohamed Al Ameen Al Haleel on or about the January 2010, at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did with the intent to defraud, obtained the sum of fifty million naira (50,000,000) by false pretences from Dr. Shuaibu Sani Teidi of no 2 Toni Ani Road, finance Quarters, Wuye, Abuja that same would be given to the chairman of EFCC for general clearance which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) (a) of the advance fee fraud and other fraud related offences act,2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of same act”.
Femi Babafemi
Head, Media & Publicity
16/11/2011
