BDC operator testifies against suspect who allegedly defrauded him N280m

A Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, Alhaji Idris Ali, on Monday testified against the Managing Director of Faru Power Solution Limited, Mr. Muhammad Lawal, for allegedly defrauding him of a total sum of N280 million.

While being cross-examined as the first prosecution witness (PW-1) by the defence lawyer, Yakubu Philemon, SAN, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Ali denied paying the N280 million through a business associate, Dr. Abbas Waziri. He insisted that some of the funds were transferred directly into Lawal’s company account.

He said, “I make my transactions directly with the defendant, my lord. I made some of the transfers directly to his company, Faru Power Solution Limited’s account. That is why my lawyer tendered some of the receipts in court.”

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When Philemon asked the witness whether he made a statement to the police on June 6, 2024, admitting he gave Dr. Abbas Waziri the N280 million, Idris said it was untrue. When shown one of the two statements admitted as Exhibit B in the case—where he was allegedly quoted as saying he gave the money to Waziri—the witness vehemently denied making such a statement.

“My lord, my signature is not on this statement. I am not the one who wrote this because if I had made a statement, I would have signed it,” he told the court, maintaining that the money was given to the defendant and not Waziri.

Although the witness admitted that Exhibit B (the extra-judicial statements) contained his statement, he denied authorship of the one that did not bear his signature.

The witness insisted that part of the money he gave to Lawal included the sums of $50,000 and $60,000.

“It is correct that you have not tendered any evidence to show that you gave him the money?” the lawyer asked.

“Dr. Abbas was there when I gave him (Lawal) the money, and he is my witness. If the defendant had not received the money, he wouldn’t have written an undertaking before the court stating that he was going to repay me,” he responded.

Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until June 17, 2025, for continuation of trial.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, had filed a 20-count charge against Lawal over allegations bordering on advance fee fraud, among others, to the tune of N280 million.

The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/374/2024 and filed by the IGP’s lawyer, Wisdom Madaki, before Justice Nwite, named Lawal as the sole defendant.

In Count One, Lawal, a resident of No. 26 Mamman Kontangora Street, Katampe Extension, Abuja, was alleged to have, sometime in 2024, fraudulently obtained $60,000 from Alhaji Idris Ali Idris under the pretext of an investment in telex copy.

In Count Two, the suspect was alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of $50,000 from Alhaji Idris under the same pretext.

Lawal was also alleged, among other things, to have dishonestly obtained N10 million through account number 1454684547, with the beneficiary account name Faru Power Solution Limited, domiciled at Access Bank Plc, from Idris Ali Idris via bank transfer under the pretense of telex copy investment.

Lawal, who was arraigned on July 31, 2024, pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.