Court remands Yar’ Adua’s ‘wife’ in prison From Emmanuel Ogoigbe, Warri

A woman, Joy Asabe Williams, who claimed to be the wife of the late elder brother to the President, Major-General Musa Yar’ Adua, was at the weekend remanded in Suleja Prison by an Abuja High Court after she was arraigned along with one Linda Anyanwu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a three-count charge bordering on Advance Fee Fraud.

Operating under the name “Hajiya Asabe Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua,” the suspect who runs a non-governmental organization (NGO) known as Asabe Shehu Yar’ Adua Foundation, said she has been married to the Late General since 20 years ago.

Also charged for the same offence was one Linda Anyanwu, a member of the Foundation in Germany and Ibrahim Gaya, who is currently at large.
The charges against them read: “That you Joy Asabe Williams (Alias “Hajiya Asabe Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua, Linda Williams and Ibrahim Gaya (At large) on or about May 13, 2009 at Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division of the High court of the Federal Capital Territory conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence by doing an act to wit: agreeing amongst yourselves to obtain money from Comptroller General of Customs by false pretence; and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8 [a] of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1 [3] of the same Act.

That you Linda Anyanwu on or about May 13, 2009 at Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did, with intent to defraud, attempt to obtain money from the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs by representing yourself as a family member of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua which you knew to be false with the aim of using his name and goodwill to commit fraud; and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8 [b] of the Advance Feed Fraud and Other related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1 [3] of the same Act.

That you Joy Asabe Williams [Alias “Hajiya Asabe Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua” sometimes between January 1, 2009 and May 13, 2009 at Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory falsely represented yourself as the wife of the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua which you knew you were not and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 321 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, 1990 and punishable under section 324 of the same Code.

Although the accused persons entered a plea of not guilty to all the counts, their bail application was not taken as the court ordered that they should be remanded in Suleja prison till June 22, 2009 when their application would be heard.