By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
Kano
Kano Central APC Senatorial candidate, Abdussalam Abdulkarim, popularly known as AA Zaura has approached the Apex court seeking to upturn the judgement of the Court of Appeal that ordered for his fresh trial for allegedly obtaining by false pretense the total sum USD1,320 from Kuwaiti nationale.
A Court of Appeal, Kano Division had on 13 April, 2022 in its lead judgement delivered by Justice Abdullahi Mahmoud Bayero set aside the judgement of a Federal High Court delivered on 9th June, 2020 by Justice Lewis Allagoa that discharged and acquitted the Kano flamboyant politician.
Bayero also in the lead judgement ordered that the defendant be tried afresh by a different judge other than Justice Allagoa.
“Having determined the issue in favour of the appellant, the appeal naturally succeeded the judgment of the lower court in suit number FHCK/CR2018/ FRN against Abdulsalam Sale Abdulkarim delivered on June 9th, 2020 is hereby set aside.”
The Economic Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, had some time last year taken Zaura to a Federal High Court in Kano, accused him of allegedly defrauding à Kuwaiti $1,320,000 which he obtained through false pretence, claiming he was a developer who specialised in buildings in Dubai, Kuwait and some Arab countries.
The anti-financial crime agency had prosecuted the Kano frontline politician on a five-count charge in a high profile case that attracted millions of city dwellers.
Piqued by the verdict, Abdussalam Zaura had on 14th April, 2022 through his counsel, Barrister Ibrahim Waru filed notice of appeal to the Supreme Court containing 6 grounds, challenging the order for his retrial.
Feelers from the Court of Appeal, Kano Division
had it that records of appeal was subsequently transmitted to the Supreme Court on the 25th April, 2022.
This newspaper also gathered that the Appellant brief has already been filed on 20th July, 2022, and that EFCC has been served.
Baring any last minute change, the Supreme court is billed to fix a date for hearing as the case under purview falls under “fastrack proceeding of the Apex Court.”
A constitutional lawyer who spoke on condition of anonymity said “the matter involving huge sum of money or foreign national/expatriate qualified under fast-track proceeding at the Apex court”.