Alhassan Musa
By Our Reporter
The Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned an acting director at the Renewable Energy Department, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Alhassan Musa, for allegedly defrauding one Musa Baba the sum of N3,800,000 in a failed contract award.
Musa was arraigned before Justice A.Y. Shafa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gwagwalada in Abuja.
He was arraigned on December 13, 2023, on three counts bordering on obtaining money by pretence.
Count one reads: “That you, Alhassan Musa, on or about the 21st January 2019 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court by pretenses and with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N3,800,000.00) for yourself from one Alhaji Musa Baba as the fee for the award of a contract for the rehabilitation of Jatropha Farm Karshi for Bio-Diesel Production by the Energy Commission of Nigeria and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Count two reads: ‘That you, Alhassan Musa, on or about the 21st January 2019 did make a false contract award on Energy Commission of Nigeria letterhead with intent to cause one Alhaji Musa Baba to part with the sum of Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N3,800,000.00) only and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 364 of the same Act.”
He pleaded not guilty to all the count charges when they were read to him, which prompted the prosecution to seek a trial date.
The EFCC, in a statement on its X handle on Friday, said Justice Shafa granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1,000,000, with one surety in like sum.
He further ordered that the suspect be remanded in Kuje Correctional Service until February 22, 2024, pending the fulfilment of his bail condition.
“Musa, an Acting Director with the Renewable Energy Department of the Energy Commission of Nigeria was arrested by the EFCC through a petition for allegedly collecting the sum of N3,800,000 from the petitioner, sometime on January 21, 2019, with a promise of offering him a promise of offering him a contract for the rehabilitation of Jetropha Farms Karshi for BioDiesel production which he since did not fulfil.
