A member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of its Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Aliyu Gebi has been charged to an Abuja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for issuing 13 different dud cheques to the tune of N130.5million.
The EFCC allege that Gebi, who is representing Bauchi Federal Constituency on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, obtained a total of N130.5million interest-free loan from Musty Petroleum Limited.
He then offered to pay the loan via 13 different cheques drawn on the United Bank for Africa Plc to be paid from his account and that of his company, Craft Technologies Limited. However, all 13 cheques were dishonoured on presentation for payment within three months from the dates on the cheques as there were no sufficient funds in either of the accounts.
This, the commission said, constituted an offence under section l (b) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheque (offences) Act, 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
Gebi, however, pleaded not guilty to the 13-count charge brought against him by the anti-corruption agency. His lawyer, Mr B.A. Oyefeso applied for bail on the grounds that the accused person had been on administrative bail which required him to deposit his international passport, which he said his client had not violated. As such, he should be allowed to walk freely.
The counsel to the EFCC, Mohammed Bello, did not have any objection to Gebi’s bail application, but asked that a more stringent condition be attached in view of the severity of the offence.
But Justice Abba Bello Mohammed insisted that the accused person be allowed to continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted him by the anti-graft agency.
“The EFCC was aware of the seriousness of the offence committed by the accused person before granting him an administrative bail on the light terms and condition,’’ Justice Mohammed said.
Consequently, the court adjourned till February 19, 2013 to commence his trial.
The EFCC 13-count charge reads in part, “That you, Hon. Aliyu Gebi being the owner and sole signatory of Craft Technologies Ltd and Craft Technologies Ltd on or about January 11, 2012 at Abuja did obtain credit by issuing a UBA Plc cheque No. 00091852 in the sum of N10 million in favour of Musty Petroleum Ltd which when presented within three months was dishonoured on the ground that there was no sufficient funds in the account and thereby committed an offence punishable under section l(b) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheque (offences) Act, 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
“That you, Hon. Aliyu Gebi, being the owner and sole signatory of Craft Technologies Ltd and Craft Technologies Ltd on or about January 12, 2012 at Abuja did obtain credit by issuing a UBA Plc cheque No. 00091853 in the sum of N10 million in favour of Musty Petroleum Ltd which when presented within three months was dishonored on the ground that there was no sufficient fund in the account and thereby committed an offence punishable under section l(b) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheque (offences) Act, 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
“That you, Hon. Aliyu Gebi, on or about January13, 2012 at Abuja did obtain credit by issuing a UBA Plc cheque No.00119123 in the sum of N500, 000.00 in favour of Musty Petroleum Ltd which when presented within three months was dishonoured on the ground that there was no sufficient fund in the account and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1(b) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheque (offences) Act, 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
“That you, Hon. Aliyu Gebi, on or about the January 13, 2012 at Abuja did obtain credit by issuing a UBA Plc cheque No.00119121 in the sum of N10, 000,000.00 (ten million naira) only in favour of Musty Petroleum Ltd which when presented within three months was dishonoured on the ground that there was no sufficient fund in the account and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1(b) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheque (offences) Act, 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.’’