Court Orders Remand of Federal Lawmaker Over Alleged N185 Million Land Fraud

A federal lawmaker, Gabriel Zock (APC-Kaduna State), has been remanded by the Maitama Division of the FCT High Court over alleged N185 million land fraud.

Justice Halilu Yusuf on Thursday ordered that Mr Zock be kept in EFCC custody.

The EFCC had charged Mr Zock, representing Kachia/Kagarko federal constituency of Kaduna state, with two counts bordering on fraud.

Mr Halilu gave the order of remands after EFCC counsel Maryam Ahmed prayed the court to remand him until bail is granted to him.

In granting the prayer, Mr Halilu adjourned the case until February 16 for the hearing.

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 Mr Zock collected N35 million from Mr Kamar to facilitate and obtain title documents of the land which he knew were 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.

Mr Zock however pleaded not guilty.

O.S Adeyemi, whom the court asked to stand for Mr Zock, who said his counsel was held up somewhere, made an oral application for his bail.

Ms Ahmed, counsel for EFCC, opposed the bail, arguing that the defendant’s counsel should apply for the lawmaker’s bail in writing.

(NAN)