The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the chairman, Federal Civil Service Staff with Disabilities’ Cooperative Society, Iliasu Abdulrauf, for alleged N1,126,156,000 fraud.
Abdulrauf was docked on Thursday before Justice S.C Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, on a six-count charge of breach of trust.
He committed the alleged fraud between November 2017 and February 2018, in Abuja.
In one of the counts, EFCC said Abdulrauf collected N508, 528,000 via his personal account from the Managing Director, Wanori Investment and Properties Ltd.
The commission said he did this under the false pretense of awarding contracts to establish a Rehabilitation Centre for Persons with Disabilities.
EFCC presented that the MD “was deceived to pay for corporate social responsibility and insurance bond to enable his company access mobilisation for the contract”.
Abdulrauf’s offence is contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Prosecution counsel, Steve Oduase, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that Abdulrauf be remanded in prison custody.
Justice Oriji admitted him to bail in the sum of N20million with two sureties.
One must be a Grade Level 14 civil servant in the Federal Civil Service, while the other must be a responsible citizen.
The two sureties must be resident in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with verifiable residences.
Abdulrauf will remain in EFCC custody until the conditions are met and cannot travel out of Nigeria without the permission of the court.
The matter was adjourned until December 15, 2020 and January 25, 2021, for commencement of trial.
