A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has remanded a member of the House of Representatives, Gabriel Zock, on Thursday over advanced fee fraud to the tune of N185 million.
Mr Zock was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a two-count charge bordering on alleged defrauding his victim to the tune of N185 million.
The lawmaker is representing Kachia Kagarko Federal Constituency of Kaduna State.
What happened in court
EFCC alleged that in 2015, the lawmaker collected N150 million from one Adeyemi Kamar for a plot of land at Guzape District, Abuja.
Mr Zock also collected another N35 million from Mr Kamar to facilitate and obtain the title of the land under false pretence.
According to EFCC, the offence contravened the provisions of Section 1(1)(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other fraud-related offences Act, 2006 which is punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Mr Zock pleaded not guilty to the charges proffered against him by the EFCC.
He had no legal representation in court which made the judge appoint a lawyer in court to represent him.
The lawyer, Adebara Adeniyi made an oral application for the bail of the lawmaker. However, Maryam Ahmed, EFCC’s counsel opposed the bail on the grounds that they should apply for bail in writing.
She prayed the court to remand the lawmaker in prison pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
Justice Halilu Yusuf overruled Mr Adeniyi’s bail application on the ground that a written application had already been filled by another lawyer dated February 9.
He ordered that Mr Zock be remanded in EFCC’s custody till February 16 when the bail motion will be heard.