EFCC arraigns Zamfara court registrar for N3.8m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Abubakar Dandare, a Registrar of the Upper Sharia Court in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, for alleged forgery and misappropriation of dead man’s N3.8 million.

The court registrar was arraigned before the court on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.

EFCC counsel Peter Attah told the court that Dandare committed the offence on December 4, 2012.

Attah said the defendant, while being entrusted with the N3.8 million retention fee paid by the Zamfara Ministry of Finance for the family of late Ladan Mada, dishonestly misappropriated the money.

The lawyer added that the offence of criminal breach of trust is contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code CAP 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 and is punishable under section 312 of the same law.

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Attah also alleged that Dandare forged the signature of Mada on the court cash deposit register of the court to intent the money.

The offence, the prosecution counsel, said is contrary to section 363 of the penal code CAP 89 Laws of the Northern Nigeria 1963 and punishable under Section 364 of the same law.

Defence counsel Bello Umar said the laws in which the accused was arraigned before the court were all repealed following the passage of the Zamfara 2022 penal code.

Umar, therefore, prayed the court to dismiss the case.

The presiding judge, Justice Bello Shinkafi, admitted the court registrar to bail in the sum of N5 million and two sureties in like sum.

Justice Shinkafi ordered that the sureties must deposit two passport photos and their phone numbers with the court.

The judge, therefore, adjourned the case until June 6, 2024, for further mention.

The Star