A Point of Sale Agent who also doubles as Closed Circuit Television Technician, Abdulfathi Aminu Ahmad was on Thursday, May 4, 2023, arraigned before Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna, Kaduna State on one count charge of money laundering by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Ahmad is alleged to have created fraudulent profiles of 72 N-power beneficiaries with bank accounts through which he had been collecting monthly stipends to the tune of N N8, 900,000.00. The lid on the scam was blown when an N-power benefit enrollee from Zamfara State, raised the alarm that his profile had been hijacked by an unknown person and his stipends diverted.
The charge against the defendant reads: “that you, Abdulfathi Aminu Ahmad sometime between May and September 2022 at Gusau, Zamfara state within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court retained the total sum of N88,000.00(Eighty-eight Thousand naira) only in your account No. 1455288234 domiciled at Access Bank Plc (Account Name: Abdulfathi Ahmad Aminu) which you knew was proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 20(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
The prosecution counsel, N. Salele consequently asked the court to fix a date for trial to commence. But the defence counsel, Jamilu Ahmad Shafa urged the court to admit his client to bail.
Justice Aikawa after listening to both counsel granted bail to the defendant in the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000. 00) and one surety in like sum. The surety must not be an officer below Grade Level 8 in the civil service.
The case was adjourned till June 22, 2023 for commencement of trial.