From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Justice Mohammed Maina of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri has sentenced Alhaji Bashir Tanko, CEO of Sahel Building and Engineering Company Limited, to one year in prison with an option of a ₦200,000 fine for misappropriating ₦33.5 million.
Tanko was re-arraigned on Monday, November 18, 2024, by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge of criminal misappropriation.
The charge stated: “That you, Bashir Tanko Tahir whilst being the Chief Executive Officer and Alter Ego of Sahel Building and Engineering Company Limited, a company registered in Nigeria and Sahel Building and Engineering Company Limited and Musa Umaru (now at large), sometimes in 2019 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did dishonestly misappropriate the entire sum of N33,500,000.00 (Thirty Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira), out of N38,500,000.00 (Thirty Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) being paid to your company account domiciled with Access Bank with account number; 0024320657 bearing Sahel Building Engineering Limited, by a Non-Governmental Organisation ACTED being the money belonging to one Annur Adam and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Cap. 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and punishable under section 309 of the same Law.”
Tanko pleaded not guilty, but the prosecution, led by Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, S.O. Saka, Faruk Muhammad, and Abdulmalik D. Aliyu, presented six witnesses and several documents as exhibits. Justice Maina also ordered Tanko to restitute N33.5 million to the petitioner or face 20 years’ imprisonment if he defaults.
The case began when Tanko diverted funds paid to his company for a contract executed by the petitioner.
In a related case, the EFCC arraigned Ibrahim Aisami before Justice Aisha Kumaliya on Tuesday, May 20, on a two-count charge of obtaining N5.6 million by false pretence.
The charge read: “That you, Ibrahim Aisami with National Identification Number 12587398155, sometimes in 2024 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did obtain the gross sum of N5,600,000.00 (Five Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) belonging to Kellu Mohammed which money was transferred from Modu Mohammed account number; 2085061819 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc into your account; 2081085253 Ibrahim Aisami domiciled with Zenith Bank purportedly as money for the purchase of land situated at Jere Local Government with allocation number BO/89983/17 which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
Aisami pleaded not guilty, and prosecution counsel Abdulmalik D. Aliyu requested a trial date and remand. Justice Kumaliya adjourned the case to Monday, May 26, for a bail hearing and remanded Aisami in Maiduguri Correctional Centre. His charges stem from receiving N5.6 million for a land purchase in Jere Local Government Area that he did not complete.