Court remands ‘spirit’ in prison for stealing N20m

News
BY SONI DANIEL
GUSAU — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
yesterday, arraigned one Mohammed Yusuf Dabo before Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Gusau, Zamfara State on 11-count charge of obtaining N20 million under false pretence and forgery.
Dabo is said to have defrauded one Ya’u Mohammed of N20 million
in a classic Advance Fee fraud scheme.
The fraudster, posing as a spirit named ‘Asmau’, based in Niger
Republic, convinced his victim into believing that the mystery female
voice had powers to establish schools and mosques to propagate
Islam but needed a human vessel through which this could be
achieved.
He left the victim with no choice but to accept the offer of becoming
the human vessel after threatening him that he would die without
carrying out the assignment successfully.
The accused person began to extort his victim and used the money
to buy exotic cars and acquire a mansion in the Red Bricks Area of
Kano State.
The accused pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him.
The prosecution counsel, B.M Buhari asked the court for permission
to proceed with the trial but the defence counsel, B.M Muqaddam
urged the court to admit his client to bail on the grounds of ill
health.
However, Buhari opposed the application on the grounds that the
medical reports attached to the bail application were not certified.
The presiding judge agreed with the prosecution and refused the bail
application. He ordered the prosecution to call his first witness.
The case was adjourned to 12th and 13th June, 2013 for
continuation of trial, while the accused was remanded in prison
custody.