Former Kogi Governor’s Son Remanded In Prison Over N18 Million Scam

The son of former Kogi State governor, Prince
Abubakar Audu, Mustapha, has been remanded by
an Abuja High Court in Kuje prison over an alleged
N18 million scam. Mustapha and his wife, Zahrah
M. Audu, were arraigned along with their company,
Constructor Guild Limited by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice
Abubakar Sadiq Umar for allegedly obtaining
money under false pretence to the tune of N18
million.
The charge against the accused persons reads in
part: “That you Mustapha Audu, Zahra M. Audu in
your capacity as Directors of Constructors Guild
Limited and you Constructors Guild Limited on or
about the 7th day of January 2010 in Abuja within
the jurisdiction of this Honourable court obtained
the sum of three million naira from one Nike
Kolawole under the pretence of helping her to get a
four bedroom townhouse at Ruskin Terrace situate
at Katampe Extension Abuja which you knew to be
false and thereby committed an offence contrary to
section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other
Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable
under Section 1(3)of the same act.”
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the three
count charge in which they were alleged to have
falsely obtained the money in their capacity as
directors in the said company from one Nike
kolawole under the pretence that they would get
her a four-bedroom house at Katampe Extension,
Abuja; and another property at Caemly Estate, Idu
Sabo, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Following
their plea, their counsel, Kingsley Akpokona moved
a motion for bail on behalf of his clients, but was
opposed by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Samuel
Ugwuegbulam who prayed the court for time to
respond to the application.
While consenting to the prosecution’s request for
time to respond to the application for bail, Justice
Umar remanded the first accused, Mustapha Audu
in Kuje prison but allowed the second accused
person, Zahrah M. Audu to continue to enjoy the
administrative bail earlier granted her. The case
was adjourned till Thursday February 28, 2013 for
hearing of the bail application.