The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Sadi Babale before a Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri.
Trial judge in the matter is Justice Aisha Kumaliya.
The defendant was arraigned on a one- count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N19million.
The charge reads: “That you, Sadi Babale, sometimes in September, 2024 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did dishonestly misappropriated the total sum of N19million money belonging to one Alhaji Tijjani Mohammed and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 296 and punishable under section 297 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.
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Counsel to the prosecution, Mukhtar Ahmed prayed for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody. In the same vein, counsel to the defendant, J. Yakubu, applied to move a motion for the bail of the defendant.
Justice Kumaliya, thereafter, adjourned the matter till July 28, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and ordered the remand of the defendant at Maiduguri Maximum prison.
The defendant’s journey to prison started when the sum of N19million was paid to him by the petitioner for the purchase of four plots of land which were not genuine.
Babale allegedly converted the money for his own personal use.
