Justices R.M. Aikawa and Hauwa’u Buhari of a Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna, has convicted AbdulFatai Ismail Alade, Audu Ishida, and Elisha Smith for fraud and money laundering.
The convicts were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate one-count charges bordering on impersonation and money laundering.
This was made known via a post on the X handle of the anti-graft agency on Thursday October 10.
The post partly reads: “Justices R.M. Aikawa and Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna have convicted and sentenced the trio of AbdulFatai Ismail Alade (a.k.a Hismaheel Asiwaju), Audu Ishida and Elisha Smith for fraud.
“They were prosecuted by Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate one-count charges bordering on impersonation and money laundering. While Justice Aikawa sealed Alade’s fate, Ishida and Smith were convicted and sentenced by Justice Buhari.
“Alade’s charge reads: ‘That you, Abdulfatahi Ismaeel Alade(a.k.a Hismaheel Asiwaju) sometime between 2023 and 2024, at Minna, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, retained the total sum of $95.00 (Ninety-Five Dollars) when you knew such fund forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act,2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.’
“That of Smith reads: ‘That you Elisha Smith (m), sometime in May, 2024 in Jos South, Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, retained the total sum of N808,234.02(Eight Hundred and Eighty Thousand Two Hundred And Thirty-Four Naira Two Kobo) only in your account no. 9030090284 domiciled in Palmpay Bank Ltd with account name: Elisha Smith Anzaina which you knew that such fund forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act, 2022 and punishable under section 18(3) of the same Act’.
“They all pleaded ‘guilty’ to their charge when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, M.E Eimonye and M. Lawal to urge the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
