The Kano Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on March 4, 2020 arraigned one Comfort Obayemi and Lydia John before Justice S.I. Mark of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano, on a six-count charge of obtaining by false pretence.
They are alleged to have collected money from unsuspecting members of the public under the pretext of getting them employment into National Task Force.
One of the counts against them reads: “That you, Comfort Obayemi, Lydia John and Kakari Sarki (now at large) sometime in February 2017, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, conspired among yourselves to commit an illegal act to wit: obtaining money under false pretence contrary to section 8(a) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
In view of the plea, counsel for EFCC, Odibo Gift, requested the court for a trial date.
Counsel representing the defendants, Tajuddeen Shitu applied to move the motion for bail of the defendants, but the prosecution raised objections to three paragraphs contained in the motion.
Consequently, the Shitu applied to strike out the paragraphs, but the judge asked him to do so formally.
Justice Mark, thereafter, adjourned until March 9, 2020 for hearing of the bail application, and ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kano Medium Custodian Centre.