A manhunt has been launched by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for Abdulsalam Zaura, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Kano central senatorial district, who was arraigned over alleged fraud. Zaura was first arraigned in 2018, on five-count charge bordering on fraud before a federal high court in Kano.
He is accused of defrauding a Kuwaiti national by obtaining the sum of $1,320,000 under the pretext that he is in the business of building properties in Dubai, Kuwait, and other Arab countries.
Though a federal high court ruled that the politician is not guilty and further discharged him on all counts, the EFCC approached a court of appeal which ordered a fresh trial.
In a previous sitting, the trial judge had ordered the EFCC to produce Zaura who has missed several court sittings.
Addressing journalists at a federal high court in Kano on Monday, December 5, Ahmad Rogha, counsel to EFCC, said they would ensure Zaura is in court at the next sitting.
Rogha said;
“We are looking for Zaura and he will be arrested as soon as we find him.
“Ordinarily, he was supposed to be in our custody and the court has affirmed that. But I can assure you, he would be arrested and brought to court on the next adjourned date — 30th January, 2023.”
Ibrahim Waru, counsel to the defendant, however, insisted that the EFCC does not possess any legal authority to arrest his client.
He added that it was not necessary for his client to be in court on Monday since the court did not sit.
