Ayuba Sanusi
THE trial of Abdulsalam Saleh Abdulkarim (also known as AA Zaura) before Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of a Federal High Court could not go on today, 2nd May due to an application filed by the defendant asking for a stay of proceedings.
Zaura, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 1st March 2023 for allegedly defrauding a Kuwaiti citizen to the tune of One Million Three Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($1,320,000) under the guise that he was in the real estate business in Dubai and other countries.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to today for the commencement of trial. But while the case was pending, Zaura filed an application for a stay of proceedings and served the prosecution, which responded with a counter affidavit, that by virtue of section 360 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA and Section 40 of the EFCC Act, the court cannot entertain a no stay of proceedings in a criminal trial.
When the matter came up today, counsel to the defendant, M. I Dikko (SAN), informed the court that he had filed a further and better affidavit in support of the motion for a stay of proceedings.
Justice Yunusa adjourned the matter till 31st May and 1st June 2023 for hearing of the application.
Eighteen-Eleven Media