Court remands Rep over alleged N185m fraud

Judge Halilu Yusuf of an FCT Maitama High Court, Abuja, on Thursday ordered Gabriel Zock (APC-Kaduna State) into the custody of the Economic and Fiscal Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N185 land fraud millions.

The EFCC accused Zock, who represents the Kachia/Kagarko federal constituency of Kaduna state, of fraud.

Halilu issued the remand order after EFCC counselor Maryam Ahmed begged the court to detain him until bail was granted.

Upon granting the sentence, Halilu adjourned the case until February 16 for hearing.

Previously, the EFCC alleged that the legislator in 2015 in Abuja, under a false pretext, collected N150 million from Adeyemi Kamar for a parcel of land in Guzape, District, Abuja.

EFCC also alleged that Zock charged N35 million from Kamar to facilitate and obtain title to the land which he knew to be false.

The anti-corruption agency said the offense contravened the provisions of Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Act. same law.

However, Zock pleaded not guilty.

Mr. OS Adeyemi, who was asked by the court to represent Zock, who said his lawyer was being held somewhere, made an oral request for his release on bail.

However, EFCC’s attorney opposed bail, arguing that the defendant’s attorney should request bail from the legislator in writing.