For alledgedly obtaining money by false pretence and stealing, Muhammed Usman and his firm, Masha Allah International Resources Limited was arraigned before Justice Ismail Ijelu of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja.
The defendant and his company was dragged to court by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a five-count charge on Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
But upon his arraignment, he denied commission of the charges.
Count one reads: “Muhammed Usman and Masha Allah International Resources Limited on or about the 22nd August 2022 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, deceitfully induced one Abdullahi Dalhatu Isa of Yarinya & Co Farms Limited to pay the sum of N34,350,000.00 (Thirty-four Million Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only into your Access Bank account on the understanding that you have at stock the equivalent foreign currency of the said amount for exchange at the rate of 685 Naira per 1 US Dollar which pretence you knew was false.”
Count two reads: “Muhammed Usman and Masha Allah International Resources Limited sometime in the year 2022 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, deceitfully induced one Alhaji Lawal A.A. of Three Brothers Rice Mill Limited to pay the total sum of N34,175,000.00 (Thirty-four Million One Hundred and Seventy-five Thousand Naira) only into your Access Bank account on the understanding that you have at stock the equivalent foreign currency of the said amount for exchange at the rate of 683.5 Naira per 1 US Dollar which pretence you knew to be false.”
Count three reads: “Muhammed Usman and Masha Allah International Resources Limited sometime in the year 2022 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, deceitfully induced one Alhaji Lawal A.A. of Three Brothers Rice Mill Limited to pay the total sum of N47,95,000.00 only into your Access Bank account on the understanding that you have at stock the equivalent foreign currency of the said amount for exchange at the rate of 685 Naira per 1 US Dollar which pretence you knew to be false.”
The prosecution counsel for EFCC , Ahmed Yerima prayed the court for a trial date “to enable the prosecution assemble its witnesses and for an order of the court remanding the defendant at a custodial facility”.
The Defence Counsel J.H. Bashir, however, pleaded with the court that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody as “we are in the process of bringing a formal bail application before the court with same to be served on the prosecution soon”.
Justice Ijelu ordered the remand of the defendant at the Ikoyi Correctional facility, and adjourned the case till Monday, June 19, 2023 for trial.
Usman was also arraigned before Justice Ijelu on a separate four-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and stealing.
Count one reads: “Muhammed Usman and Masha Allah International Resources Limited sometime between 10th of August and 19th August 2022 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, deceitfully obtained the sum of N67,600,000.00 only through your Providus Bank account from one Suleiman Bashiru on the understanding that you have at stock, the equivalent foreign currency of the said sum, for exchange at the rate of 675 Naira per 1 US Dollar which pretence you knew was false.”
Count two reads: “Muhammed Usman and Masha Allah International Resources Limited sometime in August 2022 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud deceitfully obtained the total sum of $37,314.00 only from one Faisan Haruna, on the understanding that you would give him the Naira equivalent immediately after the receipt of the said sum of $37,314.00 which pretence you knew was false.”
The defendant also pleaded “not guilty” to the four counts.
The case was adjourned till June 19, 2023 for trial.
