Justice Mohammed Maina of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri has convicted and sentenced Alhaji Bashir Tanko, CEO of Sahel Building and Engineering Company Limited, for criminal misappropriation of N33.5 million.
Tanko, who was re-arraigned on November 18, 2024, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) faced a one-count amended charge of misappropriating funds paid to his company by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), ACTED.
The amount, part of a N38.5 million payment meant for project execution, was allegedly diverted by Tanko for personal use, in breach of Section 308 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State.
Following a trial that featured six prosecution witnesses and several documentary exhibits, Justice Maina sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine. More significantly, the court ordered full restitution of N33.5 million to the victim, ANNUR ADAM, failing which the convict will serve an additional 20-year jail term.
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The EFCC revealed that Tanko’s fraudulent activities began when he dishonestly diverted the funds paid to his company for executing a contract awarded to the complainant.
In a related development, the EFCC on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, arraigned Ibrahim Aisami before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence.
According to the charge, Aisami fraudulently obtained N5.6 million from Kellu Mohammed under the pretext of selling land located in Jere Local Government Area. The funds were transferred from Modu Mohammed’s Zenith Bank account into Aisami’s account, despite the defendant’s knowledge that the transaction was false.
Aisami pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court adjourned the matter to May 26, 2025, for hearing on bail and remanded the defendant in Maiduguri Correctional Centre.
