House of Representatives member remanded over alleged N185m fraud

A House of Representatives member, Gabriel Zock (APC — Kachia Kagarko, Kaduna State) is now cooling his heels in custody for allegedly defrauding a man to the tune of N185 million.

Persecondnews reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the federal lawmaker at a High Court, Abuja, on a two-count charge bordering on advanced fee fraud.

The lawmaker, however,  pleaded innocence of the offences.

Zock had allegedly obtained from his victim, Adeyemi Kamar, N185 million under false pretences to assist the victim to influence the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to secure Right of Occupancy for his property at Guzape,  Abuja.

Arraigning Zock,  the EFCC counsel, Mrs Maryam Ahmed, urged the court to remand him in prison pending the determination of his bail application.

Zock, who was brought to court from the EFCC custody, had no legal representation.

Out of pity, Justice Halilu Yusuf appointed Mr Adebara Adeniyi as counsel for Zock.

EFCC counsel, however, told the court that the application of the defendant filed on February 9 and asked for more time to study it and respond to the issues raised in the bail application.

Although Adeniyi made oral application for bail, Justice Yusuf overruled him on the ground that a written application had already been filed by another lawyer.

Justice Yusuf then remanded the accused in the EFCC custody until February 16 for the hearing of the bail application.