By Evans Nwawuefe.
The Economic and Financial Crimes’ Commission (EFCC) on thursday November 19th arraigned one Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed Ali before Justice S.I Mark of the Federal High Court Kano on multiple count charge of money laundering.
The defendant, who works at the complainant’s company allegedly created ghost workers whom illegally paid monthly salaries in different bank accounts operated by him, to the tone of eleven million, one hundred and eighty thousand six hundred and nineteen naira only (11,187,619) within a certain period.
It was further alleged that when the company’s management discovered the fraud, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed tendered his resignation and fled with the documents.
Count one of the charge reads “ That you, Ibrahim Mohammed Ali sometime in 2019 at Kano within the jurisdiction of this court retained the some of one million, thirty-two thousand naira only owned by Abshat Engineering Resource limited in an account you maintained in the name of Ibrahim Mohammed Ali at Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC whose funds you reasonably ought to have formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary tosection (15) (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under section (15) (3) of the same Act”.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. In view of plea, Prosecution Counsel Buhari Mohammed Balarabe asked the court for a date for the commencement of trail.
The Defense Counsel A.S Bawa on the other hand prayed the court to grant the defendant bail. The defendant has been remand in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of the bail application.