The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kaduna Zonal Directorate has arraigned a lawyer, Steve Adamu before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna State on a one-count charge of false information peddling.
The commission stated this in a statement shared on its Facebook page on Tuesday.
The charge count read, “That you Barrister Steve Adamu (m) on or about the 15th day of September, 2022 in Kaduna, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, committed an offence to wit: wilfully gave false information to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which information was used to carry out investigation on your complaint to the Commission, which information you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 16(2) of the same Act.
He pleaded not guilty, prompting the prosecution counsel, M.E. Eimonye to ask the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel urged the court to grant the defendant bail.
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Justice Khobo, thereafter, ordered for the remand of the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till December 20, 2025 for hearing of the bail application.
The defendant’s road to the dock began with his petition to the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, in which he had alleged that his landlord had no visible means of livelihood, yet continually acquired costly automobiles and developed landed properties, all about town.
However, investigations by the anti-graft agency proved the allegations to be false and malicious, prompting his arrest and prosecution.