USMAN Gumi, an Abuja-based businessman, will remain in the custody of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission for at least the next 24 hours.
This is according to the pronouncement of the Abuja High Court before which he was hauled on Thursday for allegedly issuing checks that were not honorable.
According to the EFCC, Mr. Musa issued 100 million naira worth of such checks.
Justice Ishaq Bello of the Abuja High Court therefore ruled that Mr. Gumi remained in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s custody until the court decides on the oral application for Gumi’s bail, which is reserved for Friday, March 8.
Mr. Adegoke Basi, counsel to the accused, had submitted a request for bail.
Mr. Usman Gumi is standing trial on a 10-count charge for alleged issuance of bank checks worth N100 million but which were not tenable in the first place because the accounts did not have the sums of money for which the checks were issued.
Gumi is pleading ‘not guilty’ to the EFCC charges.
The prosecution had prayed the court to fix a date to enable it present its two witnesses to support its case in view of Gumi’s not guilty plea.
The defense counsel, therefore, moved an oral application for bail which the prosecution naturally opposed, although justice bello has fixed the bail hearing for March 8.
The case has been adjourned to April 24 for hearing.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission counsel Mr. Salisu Majidadi told the court that the offense was punishable under Section 1 sub 1b of the Dishonored Checks Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Majidadi said that Mr. Gumi, who was the account signatory officer of Cell Wireless Limited, had allegedly issued a N10 million Guaranty Trust Bank check. The checks were allegedly issued sometime in March 2011.
According to Mr. Majidadi, Gunmi first issued the check with teller number 26476970 to Nebas Integrated Limited for the credit he obtained.
He also said that the accused later issued N10 million dishonored checks on nine different occasions, which amounted to N100 million.
Majidadi said all the checks, signed-off by Mr. Musa Gumi on behalf of Cell Wireless Limited, were dishonored for insufficient funds at the point of claim by the payee.