The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned Mustapha Audu, son of former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, and his wife, Zahrah M. Audu, alongside their company, Constructor Guild Limited before Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja for obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N18 million.
“That you, Mustapha Audu, Zahra M. Audu, in your capacity as Directors of Constructors Guild Limited and you, Constructors Guild Limited, on or about the 7th day of January 2010 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court obtained the sum of N3 million from one Nike kolawole under the pretext of helping her to get a four bedroom townhouse at Ruskin Terrace situate at katampe Extension Abuja, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3)of the same act, one of the charges against the accused persons reads.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge read to them by the judge.
After their plea, their counsel, Kingsley Akpokona, moved a motion for bail on behalf of his clients, but was opposed by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Samuel Ugwuegbulam, who prayed the court for time to respond to the application.
While consenting to the prosecution’s request for time to respond to the application for bail, Justice Umar remanded the first accused, Mustapha Audu, in Kuje Prison but allowed the second accused person, Zahrah M. Audu, to continue enjoying the administrative bail she was earlier granted.
The case has been adjourned to Thursday February 28, 2013 for hearing of the bail application.
EFCC arrested the couple recently over what the agency described as a property scam to the tune of N18million.
