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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned the Chief Executive Officer of MB Lugga Global Travels and Tours Limited, Mustapha Mohammed, on a three-count charge bordering on intent to defraud and obtaining by false pretences to the tune of N144 million.
Mohammed was arraigned before Justice T.G. Ringim of the Federal High Court, Gombe, on Monday for allegedly collecting N144 million from Hamza Maina and Ibrahim Arabia under the pretext of facilitating their 2024 Ramadan Lesser Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
According to the EFCC, Mohammed, alongside an accomplice, Nazifi Idris (now at large), fraudulently obtained N97,080,000 from Maina for flight tickets, visas, and accommodation for the religious exercise.
The offence contravenes Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
In a similar count, Mohammed was accused of fraudulently collecting N29,082,500 from Arabia for the same purpose, an act that violates Section 1(2)(a) of the same Act.
During proceedings, the prosecution counsel, S.H. Sa’ad, urged the court to set a trial date and remand the defendant in the Gombe State Correctional Facility.
However, defence counsel, M.Z. Gambo, filed a bail application, which the prosecution opposed.
Justice Ringim adjourned the case for a ruling on the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Gombe State Correctional Facility.
Opposing the bail application, Sa’ad argued, “My Lord, the defendant still has about eight other pending petitions filed by different complainants, alleging he defrauded them of an aggregate sum of N120,869,500. If granted bail, he may abscond from Nigeria and evade justice.”
The case was adjourned to a later date for further hearing.
