Court jails ‘Mama Boko Haram’ over N40m fraud — fifth conviction in 20 months

A high court in Borno state has sentenced Aisha Wakil, better known as Mama Boko Haram, to 10 years imprisonment for fraud.

Wakil was convicted on Monday alongside Tahiru Daura and Prince Lawal, for conspiracy, cheating, and obtaining N40 million by false pretence.

The defendants were arraigned in 2020 by the Maiduguri zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge.

In one of the counts, they were accused of obtaining N40 million “from one Bashir Abubakar, the chief executive officer of Duty Free Shop Ltd, under the false pretence of executing a purported contract for the supply of five X-ray machines 1900 with solar energy”.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by A.I Arogha presented four witnesses and tendered 17 exhibits before the court.

Delivering judgement, Umaru Fadawu, the presiding judge, ordered the defendants to “jointly and severally pay Bashir Abubakar the sum of N40 million” and sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment for the offence of conspiracy.

They were also sentenced to another 10 years imprisonment for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence.

“The prison term shall run concurrently on the expiration of all prison terms imposed on the convicts by any court,” the judge said.

Meanwhile, in June 2022, a high court in Borno sentenced Mama Boko Haram to five years imprisonment over her involvement in N71.4 million fraud.

Also, in August 2022, the high court sentenced her to seven years imprisonment for N66 million fraud while in September of the same year, she was sentenced to seven years imprisonment over another N15 million fraud.

In December 2022, the court jailed the defendants for 10 years in a N120.5 million fraud case.