EFCC arraigns Man over alleged ₦2m fraud in Kaduna

By Imisioluwa Afunmiso

The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Rufai Abdulkarim before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court over an alleged ₦2 million fraud.

The defendant faces a one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation of funds. According to the charge, Abdulkarim allegedly misappropriated ₦2,000,000 belonging to Timothy Tachio on or about February 4, 2021, within the jurisdiction of the court.

The charge reads in part: “That you, Rufai Abdulkarim, on or about the 4th of February, 2021, in Kaduna… dishonestly misappropriated the sum of ₦2,000,000.00, property of Timothy Tachio, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 293 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 294 of the same Law.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge. Following the plea, prosecution counsel Moses Arumemi urged the court to fix a date for trial, while defense counsel Kabiru Mohammed applied for bail on behalf of the defendant.

After listening to both parties, Justice Khobo adjourned the matter for a ruling on the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the determination of the request.

The case stemmed from a petition alleging that the defendant collected ₦2 million as part payment for a piece of land valued at ₦7 million, but allegedly diverted the funds for personal use and failed to refund the complainant.