The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Office, Tuesday, arraigned a car dealer, Musa Usman Zakari, over alleged criminal breach of trust.
He was made to appear before Justice Mohammed Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court.
EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade, said this in a statement in Abuja.
Orilade explained, “The EFCC had received a petition from one Ruth Pataka, accusing Zakari of Dutse Close Motor Ventures, Kaduna, of defrauding her in a car deal that went sour after he failed to deliver the car she paid for.
“Pataka had in November 2017 entered into a deal with Zakari, for him to get her a Pontiac Vibe for N1,250,000. She afterwards paid him the sum of N700,000 with the intention of paying the balance upon delivery of the car.
“She further alleged that by January 2018 when she was supposed to pay the balance and collect her car, she was told the car had been sold to another customer”.
The anti-graft commission’s spokesman said the count reads: “That you, Musa Usman Zakari, sometime in November 2017 in Kaduna within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, entrusted with the sum of N700,000 (Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) only by Pataka D. Ruth as part payment for a car; to wit (Pontiac Vibe) did dishonestly convert the said money to your own use and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 296 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State 2017 and punishable under Section 297 of the same Law.”
But the accused reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.
It is on this basis that the Prosecution counsel, M. Lawal, urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial and for the defendant to be remanded in prison.
This prayer, however, did not go down well with the Defence counsel, Abdulkareem Audu as he informed the court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client which, he said had been served on the prosecution on June 13.
But Lawal raised objections to the bail application.
In his ruling, presiding Justice Mohammed Tukur adjourned the matter to July 24 for hearing of bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison.
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