The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Thursday, ordered a serving member of the House of Representatives, Gabriel Zock, to be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over N185 million fraud allegation.
Halilu Yusuf, the trial judge, issued the order of remand after the lawmaker was arraigned by the anti-graft agency on charges of advanced fee fraud, otherwise known as 419.
The crime is dubbed 419 after the section of the law that criminalises the act.
Mr Zock who represents Kachia Kagarko Federal Constituency of Kaduna State in the House of Representatives, will, by the court’s order remain in custody till February 16.
He is being tried by the EFCC on two counts of allegedly defrauding his victim to the tune of N185 million.
The House of Representatives member was said to have swindled Adeyemi Kamar of the amount under the pretext that he would assist the victim to influence the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to secure Right of Occupancy (R of O) for his property at Guzape, an upscale area of Abuja.
Mr Zock, however, pleaded not guilty, to the charges when read to him on Thursday.
[Premium Times]
