Justice Sale Musa Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kaduna has reserved decision in the matter of alleged N212,439,552 fraud involving Mansur Ali Mashi, a serving House of Representatives member representing Mashi Dutsi federal constituency.
Mashi is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly receiving a credit facility from Sterling Bank in the amount of N212,439,552 (two hundred and twelve million, four hundred and thirty-nine thousand, five hundred and fifty-two naira) solely through bogus businesses. He was fined alongside four bank officials: Abdulmumini Mustapha, Shehu Aliyu, Muazu Abdu, and Hassan Usman (deceased).
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded not guilty, and the matter consequently proceeded to trial.
This case has suffered so many setbacks due to the elevation and retirement of the trial judges.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution called six witnesses.
In today’s proceedings, counsel to the parties, Douglas I. Gift for the prosecution and A.D. Umar for the defendants, adopted their final written addresses.
Consequently, Justice Shuaibu adjourned the matter till June 15 and 16, 2023, for judgement.
One of the charges reads, “That you Auwulu Hamza being regional manager of Sterling bank, North Western region on or about the 28th July 2008 in Katsina within the judicial division of the Federal High Court did knowingly approved a loan of twenty five million naira (N25,000,000) to one Mansur Ali Mashi (through a false and fictitious account name, Faskari Local Education Authority with account number 136285) which is above your approval limit by splitting it into five separate customer credit request contrary to accepted practise and Sterling bank regulation and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(1)(b) and punishable under s. 16(1)(a) of the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) And Financial Malpractices in Banks Act”.
