Two In Prison Custody Over Land Scam In Kano

Two men, Auwal Sidi Shariff and Danladi Nuhu, alleged to have defrauded one Idris Mohammed Fadie in a land scam, have been remanded in prison custody by Justice Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Kano State.

They were arraigned by the Kano Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the court on a four-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence.

According to a statement issued by the Spokesman of the EFCC, Tony Orilade on Thursday, Shariff allegedly defrauded his victim in a land scam.

“He claimed that he had a plot of land for sale located at Unity Estate off Airport Road, Kano State. The petitioner negotiated with him to buy the plot of land on Plot No 196 for N3,555,000,” the statement read in part.

“Afterwards, the suspect approached him again that there were two more plots up for sale. Again they negotiated and agreed for the sum of N2,500,000 for Plot No 276 and N3million for Plot No 15.

“The payment was made to the defendant, but the land documents given to the buyer, turned out to have been forged as they never emanated from the Ministry of Land in the state.”

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Auwalu Sidi Sheriff and Nuhu sometimes in January 2018, at Kano within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did agree amongst yourselves to carry out an unlawful act, to wit: obtain money under false pretences from Idris Mohammed Fadie and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(a) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges against them.

Counsel for the EFCC, Cosmos Ugwu, thereafter, asked the court for a date for commencement of trial and that the defendants be remanded in prison.

Justice Allagoa remanded them in prison and adjourned until May 6 and 7, 2020 for commencement of trial.