The Kaduna State High Court had been reportedly granted one Zakari Muhammad, bail in the sum of One Million Naira and a surety in like sum.
Muhammad who was said to have allegedly collected the sum of N2 million from a victim with promise to secure him a job with the Petroleum Equalisation Fund ( PEF) was arrested and arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Command.
Before Justice A.A Bello of the Kaduna State High Court on a 3 counts charge bordering on employment scam, Muhammad on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Justice Bello who granted the defendant bail, however, insisted that the surety in like sum must be a Civil Servant on Grade 14, residing within the jurisdiction of the court and own a landed property covered by a Certificate of Occupancy.
Truth Live News learned that Investigation had revealed the monies were paid in two tranches into the suspects account and that he had neither facilitated the job offer nor refunded the victim.
“That Zakari Muhammad sometime in September, 2021 in Kaduna within the judicial division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N 2,000,000 ( Two Million Naira) only from one Sa’idu Bashir Amin,” the charge reads.
“When you presented yourself to him that you are capable of securing a job for him with the Petroleum Equalisation Fund ( PEF) which pretence you knew to be false,” the charge said, you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
Media & Publicity of the commission reported that the prosecuting counsel, M.U Gadaka prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of hearing while the defence counsel, Y.M Rabiu urged the court to grant bail to his client.
It said the case has been adjourned till July, 12, 2023 for commencement of trial.