Lola Idahosa, Kaduna
A Kaduna based businessman and Managing Director, Oceantrees Enterprises, Alhaji Bashir Adamu has petitioned the Force Headquarters over alleged issuance of dud cheques and cheating by a Director of Finance in the Zamfara State Civil Service, Alhaji Jibrin Shehu Mustapha.
In the petition addressed to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja and made available to newsmen in Kaduna, Alhaji Bashir stated that in February 2013 he was awarded a contract to supply some chemicals worth N10,750,000.00 by the Zamfara State Environmental Agency which he did.
He said the goods were received by the Director of Finance of the Agency who equally endorsed the LPO and that instead of the money being paid to his company, the director directed the payment into his (Alhaji Jibrin) personal account without his knowledge.
Consequently the petitioner said, the director issued 3 cheques to his company using his (the director’s) personal account which he (Bashir) presented but the cheques bounced.
According to Alhaji Bashir, after persistent complaints, Alhaji Jibrin Shehu Mustapha paid him paltry sum of three million naira leaving the balance unpaid.
He therefore appealed to the police to investigate this case and if possible, prosecute Alhaji Jibrin Shehu Mustpaha.
In a swift reaction after the investigation by the police, the director has now been charged to a Kaduna High Court on a criminal charge of Cheating and Issuance of dud cheques under S.1(1) (a)(1) of the Dishonoured Cheque (offences) Act Cap D11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
According to the police prosecutor, Martins Leo, the accused in February 2013 in Kaduna, negotiated a business agreement with the complainant and issued three separate cheques of First Bank on different dates in the sum of N2,750,000.00 as well as N4,000,000.00 and N4,000,000.00 with the knowledge that there was no sufficient money in the account.
The prosecution said when the cheques were presented by the complainant to the bank they were found to have bounced.
The case which came up for hearing on December 16th 2014 could not be entertained because the court could not sit .It has now been adjourned to the 27th of January, 2015.
