Alleged N125m Fraud: Ex-Reps Gave Me 14 Dud Cheques — Witness Tells Court

Abuja, January 19, 2026

The first prosecution witness, Mustapha Usman (PW1), on Monday told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja how a former member of the House of Representatives, Aliyu Ibrahim Gebi, allegedly issued him 14 dud cheques valued at N125 million in connection with a friendly loan.

Testifying before the court presided over by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, PW1 narrated that he met the defendant through Hajiya Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, who was also a member of the House of Representatives at the time.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, the witness said that in 2011 Gebi approached Honourable Aishatu for a friendly loan of N125 million, which was granted.

“I was there when the first defendant wrote an undertaking to repay the loan within 60 days without interest. At the expiration of the 60 days, he failed to fulfil his obligation, after which I personally met with him concerning the repayment,” Usman told the court.
PW1 further disclosed that the defendant later issued him several cheques in settlement of the debt.
“Thereafter, he gave me cheques totalling N125.5 million. The extra N500,000 was given when he told me he was expecting money from the United States of America and requested N1 million for his ticket. I gave him N500,000 to reduce the risk,” he explained.
According to the witness, some of the cheques were drawn from the account of Craft Technology Ltd, while others were issued from the defendant’s personal account. All 14 cheques, he said, were issued in favour of his company, Musty Petroleum Limited.
Usman told the court that when he presented the cheques at the United Bank for Africa (UBA), they were returned unpaid.
“I was informed that withdrawal attention was required. Because the cheques were UBA cheques and I also have an account with the bank, I later found out that both Craft Technology Ltd and the first defendant’s personal accounts were not funded,” he said.

He added that despite repeated promises by the defendant to settle the debt, no payment was forthcoming, prompting him to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“After I wrote the petition to the EFCC, he started making payments. He first paid N20 million and later another N34 million. He was paying in bits up until the matter got to court,” Usman stated.
He further told the court that the defendant made a payment of N12 million about two weeks ago and claimed to have completed repayment during the last court sitting on December 18, 2025.
“I told him that was not correct. He checked his records and paid the outstanding balance of N10.5 million the same day after leaving the court,” the witness added.
During the proceedings, the letter of undertaking dated December 19, 2011 was tendered in evidence and admitted as Exhibit PW1a. The 14 cheques dated January 12, 2012 were also admitted and marked as Exhibits PW1b to PW1xiv. In addition, the petition to the EFCC dated September 13, 2012 was admitted as Exhibit PW16l.
Justice Onwuegbuzie subsequently adjourned the matter to January 21, 2026 for continuation of trial.
Gebi was first arraigned on January 29, 2013 before Justice Abba Mohammed of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on a 13-count charge. Following Justice Mohammed’s elevation to the Court of Appeal, the case was reassigned to Justice Onwuegbuzie.