Justice Sale Musa Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kaduna has fixed June 15 for judgment in the case of alleged N212.4million fraud involving a serving House of Representatives member representing Mashi Dutsi federal constituency, Mansur Ali Mashi.
Mashi is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly obtaining a loan facility to the tune of N212,439,552 (Two Hundred and Twelve Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty Two Naira) only from Sterling Bank, using fictitious companies.
He was docked alongside four bank officials, Abdulmumini Mustapha, Shehu Aliyu and Muazu Abdu, Hassan Usman (deceased).
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded not guilty and the matter consequently proceeded to trial.
This case has suffered so many setbacks due to elevation and retirement of the trial judges.
In the course of trial, the prosecution called six witnesses.
When the matter came up on Tuesday, lawyers to the prosecuting EFCC, Douglas I. Gift and that of the defendants, A.D Umar , adopted their final written addresses.
Consequently, Justice Shuaibu adjourned the matter till June 15 and 16, for judgment.
One of the charges reads, “That you Auwulu Hamza being regional manager of Sterling bank, North Western region on or about the 28th July 2008 in Katsina within the judicial division of the Federal High Court did knowingly approved a loan of twenty five million naira (N25,000,000) to one Mansur Ali mashi(through a false and fictitious account name, Faskari Local Education Authority with account number 136285) which is above your approval limit by splitting it into five separate customer credit request contrary to accepted practice and Sterling bank regulation and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(1)(b) and punishable under s. 16(1)(a) of the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) And Financial Malpractices in Banks Act”.
