A Chinese national, Zhang Qunfang, has been remanded in a Kano Correctional Centre over a two-count allegation of forgery and destruction of property belonging to Huafei International Nigeria Ltd, located at No. 52 Hadejia Road, Gezawa District Area, Kano State, by a Kano State High Court presided over by Justice Sanusi Ado Maaji.
When the case came up before Justice Ma’aji for arraignment, Prosecution Counsel, Barrister Eristio Asaph from the Legal Department, Force Headquarters, said the charge was dated 2nd October. They filed on 3rd October 2024, applying for the court to grant leave, allowing the charge to be read to the defendant.
Barrister Ibrahim Abdullahi Chedi, the defence counsel, objected to the prosecution’s request to read the charges to the defendant, arguing that the case wasn’t ripe for arraignment since the defendant was served that day.
He also mentioned that the defendant was arrested by INTERPOL in Abuja and granted administrative bail.
According to Chedi, the law requires that the charge sheet be served on the defendant within 7 days, as Section 127 Sub 2 of ACJL 2019 stipulated.
The Counsel prayed the court adjourned its sitting and allowed the defendant to continue enjoying the administrative bail that was earlier granted.
In his response, the Prosecution Counsel said the Defendant refused to collect the charge sheet after she was granted administrative bail.
After considering arguments from both prosecution and defence counsel, Justice Ma’aji granted leave for the two-count charge to be read to the defendant.
According to the content of the charge, Qunfang allegedly requested her name be added as a signatory, forged the signature of a complainant, Mr Zhu Bin (a company’s client), and withdrew from the company’s account through her token the sum of $80,000 without the approval of other Directors of the Company.
The charge sheet additionally alleged that the defendant willfully demolished a building owned by Huafei International Nigeria Ltd.
The prosecution asserted that the two-count charge violated sections of the Penal Code Law.
In response, Zhang Qunfang pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.
Prosecution Counsel, Mr. Asaph, requested an adjournment to respond to the bail application filed by Defense Counsel, Mr. Chedi.
Consequently, Justice Ma’aji adjourned the sitting until November 1, 2024, for the bail application hearing and ordered the defendant’s remand in a correctional centre.
