Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, a lecturer with the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, has been arraigned before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on a nine count charge bordering on employment scam and obtaining money by false pretence.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ilorin Zonal office on Tuesday, October 29, said the defendant, who teaches in the Accounting Department at the polytechnic, allegedly defrauded many job seekers, on the pretext of helping them secure employment at the institution.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu between June and July 2018 at Offa, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N600,000.00 (Six hundred thousand naira) from one Amubiaya Raphael Oluwafemi by false pretence that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa and obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Amubiaya Raphael Oluwafemi and his wife, Amubiaya Remi Janet which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006”
Count nine of the charge reads “That you, Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu between December, 2018 and February 2019 at Offa within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N550,000.00 (five hundred and fifty thousand naira) from one Mustapha Kabir by false pretence that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa and you obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Mustapha Kabir and his wife, Jimoh Ganiyatu which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No 14 , 2006”
The 36- year-old Lecturer “pleaded not guilty” when the charges were read to him.
In view of his plea, prosecuting counsel, A.A Adebayo urged the court to fix a date for trial to enable the prosecution to prove its case, and order the remand of the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Service custody.
Defence Counsel, M. O Balogun moved an oral application for the bail of the defendant
Justice Oyinloye however asked the defence to present a written application and adjourned the hearing to November 7, 2019.
The Judge also ordered the remand of the defendant in Mandala Correctional facility, pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.