Court Remands Rep Member In EFCC Custody Over ‘Fraud’

FCT high court Maitama, Thursday, remanded a member of the House of Representatives, Gabriel Saleh Zock, for alleged land fraud of N185 million.

The embattled lawmaker is representing Kachia/Kagarko federal constituency of Kaduna state in the Green Chamber.

Zock was arraigned by the EFCC on a-two-count bordering on fraud.

While giving the order on Thursday, Justice Halilu Yusuf held that the lawmaker be remanded in the custody of the anti-graft agency after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s counsel, Maryam Ahmed, prayed the court to remand him until bail was granted to him.

After granting the prayer, Halilu adjourned the case until February 16 for the hearing.

The EFCC alleged that the defendant sometimes in 2015 in Abuja under a false pretence collected a sum of N150 million from Adeyemi Kamar for a land at Guzape, District, Abuja.

EFCC also alleged that Zock collected a sum of N35 million from Kamar to facilitate and obtain title document of the land at Guzape which he knew was false.

The offences according to EFCC counsel Ahmed, are contrary to sections 1(1)(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act, 2006, punishable under section 1(3)of the same Act.

But during the proceeding, Zock pleaded not guilty to the allegations against him.

Mr O.S Adeyemi who the court asked to stand for Zock as his counsel was held up somewhere, and applied orally for his bail.

But it was opposed by counsel for EFCC, who argued that the defendant counsel applied for his bail in writing and they have to reply also in writing.

She further prayed the court to remand the defendant in EFCC custody.

Source: Blueprint Newspapers