The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned one Sani Abubakar, and Bishong Obi Akatcha (now at large) before Justice M.G Umar of the Federal High Court, Gombe, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, forgery and stealing to the tune of N14,850,000.00.

The petitioner, Usman Umar Haske, had alleged that sometime in February 2009, a N15 million facility was granted to his company, Haske Duniya Communication Limited, by Diamond Bank Plc. Haske said he is the sole signatory to his company’s account in Diamond Bank, while Abubakar was a director in the company who deals with the company’s finance, sales and handling of all company documents, including cheques. He alleged that the accused person fraudulently forged his signature on the company’s cheque leaf and withdrew the sum of 4,850,000.00 from the company’s account.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Sani Abubakar, sometime in February 2009 in Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make a false document to wit; a Diamond Bank Plc cheque No: 17884368 with intent that it be used and acted upon as genuine for the purpose of making an illegal withdrawal of the sum of Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (14,850,000) from Diamond Bank Account No:09223000328 being held by Haske Duniya communication Limited, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 465 and punishable under section 467 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In view of the plea of the accused, the prosecution counsel Israel Akande asked the court for a trial date while the defense counsel to the first accused Saidu Muhammad moved an oral application for the bail of the accused person. But the prosecution opposed the bail application on the grounds that he needed time to respond to the application.

Justice Umar adjourned the matter to April 14, 2016 for the hearing of bail application and remanded the accused in prison custody

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