The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Aisha Salihu Malkohi (a.k.a Ummitah, Arab Money) and her husband, Abubakar Abubakar Sadiq Mahmoud, who is at large, on five-count charges bordering on misappropriation of funds to the tune of N410,518,000.
They were arraigned on Friday, December 8, before Justice Aisha Mahmud of the Kano State High Court sitting in Kano.
One of the charges reads “that you Aisha Salihu Malkohi and Abubakar Sadiq Mahmoud (now at large) on or about 2022 in Kano, Kano state within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did obtain the sum of Two Hundred and Twenty-Five Million, Two Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand Naira only (225,259,000) belonging to Farida Ibrahim between 6th January to 16th December 2022 into account bearing Abubakar Sadiq Mahmoud domiciled at Zenith Bank that the said money were paid to you for the purchase and supply of 64 cars, from Saudi Arabia facts which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (a)&(b) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related offences Act,2006”.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the five counts when they were read to her.
In view of her plea, EFCC counsel, Zarami Mohammed prayed the court for a trial date.
Defence counsel, G.I Abubakar moved a bail application for his client which was opposed by Mohammed.
Justice Mahmud thereafter adjourned the matter till December 15, 2023, for ruling on the bail application.
She also remanded the defendant in EFCC custody pending ruling on her bail application.
In a statement, the EFCC said Malkohi was arrested by its investigators in Kano following a petition from two petitioners, Farida Ibrahim and Ibrahim Mohammed Abdulrahman alleging that she conspired with her husband and defrauded them of their hard-earned monies under the guise of supplying them with cars, gold, electronics and kitchen utensils from Saudi Arabia.
“Upon the receipt of the petition, the Commission swung into action and conducted a thorough investigation which so far revealed that the defendant had collected a total sum of N410,518,000 through bank accounts belonging to her company, Golden Grass Hill International Ltd and her husband’s Zenith Bank account.
“Further investigation also revealed that the defendant, alongside her husband, who is still at large, diverted the monies into several bank accounts,” the EFCC said.