The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on March 23, 2017 arraigned a businessman, Ibrahim Kamba, before Justice Y. Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Jabi on one-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence.

Kamba is alleged to have been involved in a land scam to the tune of N7 million.

The count reads: “That you Alhaji Ibrahim Kamba ‘M’ on or about September 2008 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N7,000,000 from one Ali Hudu Iliyasu under the pretence of selling plot no 3027, Cadastral Zone A04, in Asokoro district to him knowing full well that you had already sold the same land to one Zira Maigadi ‘M’ in 2007”.

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.

Prosecution counsel, Dalyop Vou, while asking for date for trial to commence, urged the court to order that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.

Kamba’s counsel, Hassan Liman, SAN, however, moved his application for bail, dated March 20, 2017.

“The defendant has been on administrative bail since September 2015 and so I urge the court to grant him bail on same conditions,” he said.

Vou opposed the application, arguing that “the EFCC had to arrest him after a very long time, during which he had been unable to meet the bail conditions”.

Justice Halilu, thereafter, adjourned the case to March 27, 2017 “for hearing of bail application” and ordered that he be remanded in Kuje Prison.