Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Federal High Court in Kano that the Kano Central Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdulsalam Abdulkarim-Zaura, who is standing trial for alleged $1.30 million fraud refused to appear before the court to defend the charges against him.
The EFCC had filed a charge of criminal conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $1.3 million against the defendant.
When the case came up for arraignment, the Prosecution Counsel, Mrs Aisha Habib, told the court that the defendant is nowhere to be found for arraignment.
“This is a Criminal Case and the defendant must be in Court to answer his plea even if he is challenging the jurisdiction of the Court to arraign him.
“This is a total disrespect, the defendant have to be in court before he can file an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him” Habib said.
The counsel to the defendant, Barr. Ibrahim Garba-Waru, informed the Court that at this critical stage of the proceedings the presence of the defendant is not mandatory.
“Section 266(b) of Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2015 says in a criminal trial the presence of the defendant is necessary but where there is an exception of interlocutory application challenging the jurisdiction of the Court to arraign him ca not take place.”
