The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, arraigned one Dalhatu Yahaya before Justice A.M. Yakubu of Gombe State High Court 2 over alleged intent to defraud to the tune of N3.5 million.
Yahaya was docked on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences linked to a purported promise of employment with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
One of the charges against him reads:
“That you, Dalhatu Yahaya sometime in 2025 at Gombe, Gombe State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud induced one Abubakar Shuaibu Yakubu to deliver to you the sum of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N3,500,000) as payment to help him secure employment with the Federal Inland Revenue Service, a representation which you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel, J.D. Tortema, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility.
However, defence counsel, Yusuf A. Ali, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed on behalf of the defendant.
Justice A.M. Yakubu granted Yahaya bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum.
The court held that the surety must be a resident of Gombe State, be of good standing, and own a landed property worth at least N5 million.
The judge further ordered that the surety must submit the original documents of the property, alongside valid identification and an international passport, all subject to verification by the court registrar.
Justice Yakubu thereafter adjourned the case until June 22, 2026, for commencement of trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Gombe Correctional Service pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.
