By Busari Kabirat
Husaini Mohammed Auwal, a Bureau de Change operator, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), together with his company, Humak Global Business Links, in the presence of the Abuja Federal High Court over alleged illegal transactions to the tune of N998,421,564.
He was arraigned on a six-count charge as per one suspicious transaction reporting a criminal conspiracy, money laundering, and obtaining money by false pretense.
One of the charges read: “That you Husaini Mohammed Aual, being the managing director of Humak Global Business Link on or between 2016 and 2017 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did carry on, other financial business, to wit: bureau de change business without a valid license issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria contrary to sections 57 and 59 (5) of the Banks and other Financial Institutions Act, 2020.”
He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.
The prosecution counsel, Deborah Ademu Eteh, after his guilty plea, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility, while the defense counsel drew the attention of the court to an existing bail application and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal terms.
Justice J.O Abdulmalik, who is the presiding judge, adjourned the case till 23 February 2024, for the hearing of bail application and March 21, 2024, for trial and also ordered the defendant remained in EFCC custody till the next adjourned date.
