From: Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto
The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Rufai Abdulkarim before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court over an alleged N2 million fraud.
Abdulkarim faces a single charge of criminal misappropriation of funds, in violation of Section 293 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017, and punishable under Section 294 of the same law.
The charge states: “That you, Rufai Abdulkarim, on or about February 4, 2021, in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, misappropriated the sum of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira only), property of one Timothy Tachio.”
When the charge was read, the defendant pleaded “not guilty.”
Following his plea, prosecuting counsel Moses Arumemi requested a trial date, while defense counsel Kabiru Mohammed urged the court to grant bail to the defendant.
Justice Khobo, after hearing both sides, adjourned the case for a ruling on the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody until a decision is made.
The case originated from a petitioner’s allegation that he paid Abdulkarim N2 million as part of the purchase price for land valued at N7 million.
The petitioner claimed he later discovered the defendant had diverted the money for personal use and refused to refund it.
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