An Abuja High Court on Thursday remanded an Abuja-based businessman, Usman Gumi, in EFCC custody?over alleged issuance?of a dud cheques pending its ruling on oral application for bail.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, reserved March 8 for ruling on the application for Gumi's bail as submitted by his Counsel, Mr Adegoke Basi..
The businessman?is standing trial on a 10-count charge for alleged issuance of?cheques worth N100 million but which were dishonoured.
Counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Salisu Majidadi, told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 1 sub 1b of the Dishonoured Cheques Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Majidadi said the accused, who was the account signatory officer of Cell Wireless Ltd, had, sometime in March 2011, allegedly issued a N10 million Guaranty Trust Bank cheque.
He said the accused first issued the cheque with teller number 26476970 to Nebas Integrated Limited for the credit he obtained.
The counsel added that the accused later issued N10 million dishonoured cheques on nine different occasions to make the said N100 million amount.
He said the cheques were all dishonoured as a result of insufficient funds in the account of Cell Wireless Ltd.
Gumi, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution then prayed the court to fix a date to enable it present its two witnesses to support its case in view of the accused’s plea of not guilty.
The defence counsel, therefore, moved an oral application for bail which was opposed by the prosecution.
Justice Bello then fixed March 8 for ruling on the application and adjourned the case to April 24 for hearing.(NAN)