The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Tajo Sani Yunusu and his company, Sani Brothers Oil and Gas Limited, before Justice Dije Abdu Aboki of Kano State High Court on a two-count charge of issuing a dud cheque.

The accused allegedly collected 125, 000 litres of diesel valued at N20 million from the complainant, Amanallahi Ahmad Mohammed, and gave him three Zenith Bank Plc cheques for the sum.

However two of the cheques were dishonoured on presentation at the bank due to lack of fund standing to the credit of the drawer.

One of the charge reads, “that you Tajo Sani Yunusa and Sani brothers Oil and Gas Limited sometime in February 2013 at Kano within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kano State did issue a Zenith Bank cheque with serial number 70562337 of Sani Brothers Oil And Gas Limited dated the 30th day February 2013 for the sum of N9,600, 000 (Nine Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) to Amanallahi Ahmad which was presented and returned unpaid on the ground that no sufficient fund were standing to the credit of the drawer as at 17th April 2013…”

The offence committed contravenes section 1(1) (a) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, laws of the Federation, 2004 and is punishable under section 1(1)(b) of the same Act.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N5 million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties should be public servants of not below the rank of director with a landed property in Kano.