The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned Mr. Jacob Jerome Mona, Managing Director of Tari Oil and Gas Limited, before Justice K.N. Kunaza of the Bauchi State High Court, Bauchi, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and issuance of dud cheque to the tune of N8 million.

Jacob sometime in 2016 received a total of 40,000 litres of diesel valued at N8 million for which he issued a post-dated cheque to one Abdullahi Mohammed to present on his behalf. The cheque was returned unpaid due to insufficient funds in his and efforts to get him pay the beneficiary proved futile.

One of the counts read: “That you Jacob Jerome Mona, the Managing Director of Tari Oil and Gas Limited, sometime in 2016 in Bauchi within the Judicial Division of High Court of Bauchi did obtain credit for yourself from Mobo Nigeria Ltd by means of a Diamond Bank Plc Cheque dated 24th October, 2016 in the sum of N8m (Eight Million Naira) representing proceeds of sale of Diesel (AGO) which when presented within three months was dishonoured on the ground that there was no sufficient funds standing in the account for which the cheque was drawn and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1b) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, 2004. “

The accused pleaded not guilty.

Jacob was supposed to have been arraigned alongside Abdullahi Mohammed on August 14, 2017 but was still at large at the time.

Justice Kunaza ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody pending consideration of his application for bail. However, the court granted Abdullahi bail to two sureties, one of who must own a landed property within Bauchi State and the second, a Ward Head or a Member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

The two sureties are also to deposit the sum of N500,000 each as bond together with two passport photographs.

The case has been adjourned to August 29 for commencement of trial.

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