Justice Saleh Idrissa of a Federal High Court, sitting in Sokoto, Sokoto State, on Monday 18 March, 2019, granted bail to four suspected fake Customs agents facing trial on a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N19, 000,000 (Nineteen Million Naira).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto zonal office had on Friday, 15 March, 2019, arraigned the defendants: Jabir Ladan Sani, Alh Sani Musa, Kabiru Musa and Aliyu Muhammad and others now at large before Justice Idrissa, on a nine-count charge bordering on Conspiracy and Obtaining Money by False Pretence.
The fake customs agents got into trouble when they allegedly collected the sum of N19 million from one Abdulrazak Murtala on the pretext of facilitating the release of his goods seized by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and upon the payment of the money, his goods were neither release nor his money returned.
Count one of the charges read to the fake customs agents reads: “That you Jabir Ladan Sani, Alh Sani Musa, Kabiru Musa and Aliyu Muhammad and others now at large sometimes within the months of July and September, 2018 at Sokoto within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did conspired among yourselves to commit an unlawful act to wit: Obtaining the sum of N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) from one Abdulrazaq Murtala by False Pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) and Prohibition under section 1 (3) of Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related offences Act, 2006”.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was read to them.
At resumed hearing on Monday 18, 2019, counsel to the defendants, Nasiru Shehu Na’ige, told the court that he had earlier filed a bail application for his clients. He said the alleged offences were bailable and urged the court to grant his prayers.
However, the prosecution counsel, Muhammad Gambo did not oppose his prayers.