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–Pix(above): AA Zaura
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has perfected plans to spoil the fun of the Kano Central senatorial candidate under the ruling All Progressives Congress, AbdulKareem AbdulSalam Zaura, aka A.A Zaura over alleged $1.3million (about N576m) fraud, launching a manhunt for his arrest and arraignment on January 30, 2023, weeks to the general election.
EFCC Counsel, Ahmad Rogha, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday at the resumption of the criminal trial of $1.3million slammed on A.A Zaura at the Federal High Court sitting in Kano.
Although the scheduled arraignment of the Kano-based politician could not hold because of the absence of the trial judge, who is unavoidably absent, the EFCC lawyer declared that Zaura was under mandate to report himself to the commission.
“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 January 30, 2023.”
But in a quick reaction, counsel to the accused person, Ibrahim Waru, faulted the position of the EFCC, insisting the commission did not possess any legal authority to arrest his client.
When asked why Zaura had refused to appear for arraignment knowing full well of the schedule today, Waru said there was no need for him to appear since the court did not sit.
Recall that 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 him by 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 plea.
According to Zaura’s attorney, his client, under the law, was not compelled to appear before the court, insisting Zaura’s appeal was already pending before the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the arraignment has been adjourned to January 30, 2023./SHARE THIS
- Tags: EFCC, AA Zaura