EFCC Secures Forfeiture of N60m Cash Traced to Ex-Zamfara SSG

EFCC Secures Forfeiture of N60m Cash Traced to Ex-Zamfara SSG

The Economic and Financial crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto zonal office, on June 17, 2019 secured the interim forfeiture of N60 million cash linked to a former Secretary to the Zamfara State Government, Prof. Abdullahi Muhammad Shinkafi and Murtala Muhammad Shinkafi.

Justice Fadima Murtala of the Federal High Court, sitting in Gusau, Zamfara State, granted the order for the interim forfeiture of the said sum.

The money was recovered in four ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags found inside a Black Land Cruiser Prado Jeep with registration No: DKA 67 PX (Kaduna), at No.145 Igala Hausing Estate, off By-pass Road Gusau.

The order was pursuant to a motion ex-parte dated June 13, 2019 brought by the EFCC.
Justice Fadima held that: “An interim forfeiture order of this honourable court is hereby granted, forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the money sum of N60,000,000.00 (Sixty Million Naira) and a Black Land Cruiser Prado Jeep which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.”

The court granted the prayers in line with section 17(1)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related offences Act, 2006; Section 44(2) (K) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999; Section 29 of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004, and the provisions of Order 6 (5) (C) and 8 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2009.

The order is pending the conclusion of investigations into the alleged money laundering offence.

Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
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Car Dealer Remanded in Prison for N1.25m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Office has arraigned one Musa Usman Zakari, before Justice Mohammed Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court on a one-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust.

The EFCC had received a petition from one Ruth Pataka, accusing Zakari of Dutse Close Motor Ventures, Kaduna, of defrauding her in a car deal that went sour after he failed to deliver the car she paid for.

Pataka had in November 2017 entered into a deal with Zakari, for him to get her a Pontiac Vibe for N1,250,000. She afterwards paid him the sum of N700,000 with the intention of paying the balance upon delivery of the car.

She further alleged that by January 2018 when she was supposed to pay the balance and collect her car, she was told the car had been sold to another customer.

The count reads: “That you, Musa Usman Zakari, sometime in November 2017 in Kaduna within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, entrusted with the sum of N700,000 (Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) only by Pataka D. Ruth as part payment for a car; to wit (Pontiac Vibe) did dishonestly convert the said money to your own use and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 296 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State 2017 and punishable under Section 297 of the same Law.”

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge against him.

Prosecuting counsel, M. Lawal, urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial, and for the defendant to be remanded in prison.

Defence counsel, Abdulkareem Audu, informed the court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client, and which had been served on the prosecution, dated June 13, 2019.

But Lawal raised objections to the bail application.

While adjourning to July 24, 2019 for “hearing of bail application”, the trial judge ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.

Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity