The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Office has arraigned one Musa Usman Zakari, before Justice Mohammed Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court on a one-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust.
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 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.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge against him.
Prosecuting counsel, M. Lawal, urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial, and for the defendant to be remanded in prison.
Defence counsel, Abdulkareem Audu, informed the court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client, and which had been served on the prosecution, dated June 13, 2019.
But Lawal raised objections to the bail application.
While adjourning to July 24, 2019 for “hearing of bail application”, the trial judge ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.