By Nkechi Eze
The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC, has arraigned the duo of Sulaiman Inuwa Zakiru and Aliyu Ahmed before Honourable Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of the Kano State High Court on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretenses.
Dele Oyewale the commission’s spokesperson in an official signed statement disclosed that the defendants allegedly conspired to impersonate Alhaji A.A. Rano, a prominent oil mogul and owner of A.A. Rano Oil and Gas Limited and defrauded their victims the sum of N12,000,000 (Twelve Million Naira) for payment for an oil allocation purportedly issued by A.A. Rano Oil and Gas.
The principal suspect, Sulaiman Inuwa Zakiru allegedly defrauded the petitioner by claiming that A. A. Rano would contact him after paying the oil merchant a courtesy visit.
Subsequently, someone purporting to be A.A Rano called the petitioner and offered him petroleum products in the sum of N12,000,000. After making payment to two bank accounts bearing ‘A.A Yansamary General Enterprise and Zahda General Enterprise provided by the suspects, the petitioner eventually met the real A.A Rano and intimated him about the transaction but the oil merchant denied any knowledge of the transaction.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you Sulaiman Inuwa Zakari and Aliyu Ahmed sometime in April 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offense, to wit: cheating , by impersonation, contrary to Section 96(1) and punishable under Section 97(1) of the penal code law”.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Zarami Mohammed requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in a Correctional Facility pending the commencement of trial.
Consequently, Justice Aliyu adjourned the case till May 22nd 2025 for the commencement of trial and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Correctional Facility.
