Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Kano State, yesterday, declared its intention to arrest the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Kano central senatorial district, AbdulKareem AbdulSalam Zaura over alleged $1.3 million fraud.
Lawyer of the anti-graft agency, Ahmad Rogha, told reporters yesterday at Federal High Court Kano at the resumption of the criminal trial of US$1.3million slammed on Zaura.
“We are looking for Zaura and he will be arrested as soon as we find him. Ordinarily, he was supposed to be in our custody and the court has affirmed that but I can assure you he would be arrested and brought to court for the next adjourned date 30th January, 2023,” he said.
But in a counter argument, counsel to the accused person, Ibrahim Garba Waru, faulted the position of EFCC, insisting that the commission did not possess any legal authority to arrest his client.
According to him, Zaura refused to appear for arraignment, saying there was no need for him to appear since the court was not sitting.
Before the adjourned date, the trial Judge, Justice Mohammad Yunusa, had ordered EFCC to produce the accused person for arraignment on the allegation of fraud against a Kuwaiti national.
Justice Yunusa had overruled Zaura’s application that challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case and other addresses, bordering on whether the accused must appear in person to take a plea.
Zaura’s counsel had argued that his client, under the law, was not compelled to appear before the court, insisting Zaura’s appeal was pending before the Supreme Court.
The arraignment was adjourned to January 30,2023.
