N998.4m fraud: EFCC arraigns Bureau de Change operator, Auwal

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a Bureau de Change operator, Husaini Mohammed Auwal, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged illegal financial transactions to the tune of N998,421,564.

Auwal was arraigned alongside his company, Humak Global Business Links, before the court on a six-count charge bordering on suspicious transaction report of criminal conspiracy, money laundering, and obtaining money by false pretense.

One of the charges read: “That you Husaini Mohammed Auwal, being the managing director of Humak Global Business Link on or between 2016 and 2017 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did carry on, other financial business, to wit: bureau de change business without a valid license issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria contrary to sections 57 and 59 (5) of the Banks and other Financial Institutions Act, 2020.”

He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.

The prosecution counsel, Deborah Ademu Eteh, after his guilty plea, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility.

However, the defense counsel drew the attention of the court to an existing bail application and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal terms.

The presiding judge, Justice J.O Abdulmalik, thereafter, adjourned the matter till February 23 for the hearing of bail application and March 21, 2024, for trial.

He also ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody until the adjourned date.