Feb. 16, 2022

Justice Halilu Yusuf of an FCT high court, sitting in Maitama, on Wednesday admitted a lawmaker, Gabriel Zock (APC-Kaduna State) to bail in the sum of N200 million over alleged N185 million land fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged Zock, representing Kachia/Kagarko federal constituency, with two counts bordering on fraud.

Halilu also ordered that the defendant should provide two sureties in the like sum, who must also be lawmakers and ordered that Zock should deposit his travelling documents to the Registrar of the court and must seek the permission of the court before travelling.

He, thereafter, adjourned the matter until March 17, for definite hearing.

At the resumed sitting, Zock’s counsel, Mr. N. Shitta, urged the court to grant the defendant bail.

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

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

The anti-graft agency said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 1(1) (a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. (NAN)