A man called Shirhabil Abubakar was arraigned before a Bauchi Chief Magistrate's court for allegedly defrauding 20 serving policemen to the sum of N4.08 million.

Appearing before the court presided over by Chief Magistrate Haruna Abdulmumin with suit number CMCBH/14642/22, Police Prosecutor, Inspector Yusuf Usman told the court that Abubakar who hails from Soro Village in Ganjuwa Local Government area of the State, went to the Police Divisional Headquarters in Ningi Local Government Area while impersonating a Staff and Payroll officer of the Links and Mutual Microfinance Bank.

After falsely advertising the instant loan policy of the bank to 20 officers attached to the Division's police force, he applied for various amounts and provided all information to Umar M. Nasir, his accomplice.

Usman said;

“After he (Abubakar) disbursed overpayment, he now called the offices and told them that it was a system error asking them to refund the overpayment pay to some individual accounts, saying the owners of the account are their payroll officers”

The Nation reported that the prosecutor gave the names of the police officers defrauded with the amount paid to Abubakar as follows: Elisha Simon N333,000, Ahmed Hassan N370,000, Shehu Baba N229,000, Abubakar Ibrahim N285,000, Shuaibu Mohammed N194,000, Mohammed Musa N187,000, Abdullahi Mohammed N227,000, Mona James N195,000.

Others are Halilu Mohammed, N206,000, Mohammed Zangi N70,000, Yusuf Abdullahi N59,000, Dahiru Abubakar N137,000, Nuhu Maaruf N276,250, Abubakar Bello N92,000, Yakubu Victor N83,000, Garba Isah N409,000, Alex A, li N212,000, Ayuba Samson N153,000, Nasiru Inuwa N269,600, and Yahaya Aoffensei N95,000 and the total amount of money defrauded is N4,083,850k.

The offense is contrary to sections 27(C)(1)(2)(3)(4), (b)(5),20,22,13, of the cybercrime prohibition, prevention CTC act, 2015 and 1(a)(b)(2) of the advance fee fraud and another form of related offenses, 2006 of the FRN.

After the presiding Magistrate Mamman asked the accused if he understood the case against him which he answered in the affirmative, the prosecutor asked for time to seek legal advice which was given.

The Magistrate then ordered the accused to be remanded in a correctional service facility.