Court convicts ex-lawmaker, Chuma Nzeribe for fraud

CHUMA NZERIBE 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 23, 2022, acquitted a former member of the House of Representatives, Chief Chuma Nzeribe before Judge Yusuf Y. Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama. Abuja.

Nzeribe was first charged by the EFCC on October 16, 2020 with four counts of forgery, forgery, fraud and forgery, penalties under section 6, 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and more. Fraud-related Offenses Act, 2006 and penalized under section 1 (3) of the same Act.

The other figure reads as follows; “That you are Honorable. Chuma Nzeribe sometime in 2005 in Abuja, in this courtroom, forged a fraudulent document stating: Re: Application for Legal Residence within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with reference number MFCT / LA / FCT 1302 dated 18. / 06/03, bearing the name of Ramatu Alhassan and in so doing committing an offense against Section 363 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) and punishing it under Section 364 of the same Act ”.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge during the trial, setting the stage for a full trial.

During the trial, the prosecutor, Maryam Aminu Ahmad, presented five witnesses against the accused.

After the case was closed by prosecutors, the case was adjourned for trial. However, the accused allegedly fled and all attempts to find him withdrew.

Justice Halilu later revoked the defendant’s bail and issued a warrant for his arrest.

With repeated delays and failure to bring the accused to court, the trial judge on Monday, May 23, ruled in his favor and dismissed the accused and reinstated the plaintiff, Ishaya Baba, in Plot 1306 Cadastral Zone A05, Maitama Abuja.

Halulu is puzzled as to why a man who stood up as a member of the House of Representatives could not register a title deed to the land he claimed to have taken from the man knowing that this was to his advantage.

Judge Halilu however withdrew the sentence until the EFCC or the Inspector-General of Police arrested him and brought him to court, in accordance with Section 321 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, Section 11 of the Past Money Laundering Act and Other Related. Offenses Act 2006, and Section 78 of the Judicial Code

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