by Tukur Muntari
A Kano State High Court, presided over by Justice Sanusi Ma’aji, has ordered the remand of Chinese national, Zhang Qunfang, over a two-count allegation of forgery and destruction of property.
The property belongs to Huafei International Nigeria Ltd, located at No 52 Hadejia Road, Gezawa District Area, Kano State.
When the case came up before Justice Ma’aji for arraignment, the prosecution counsel, Eristio Asaph from the Legal Department, Force Headquarters, said the charge was dated October 2 and filed October 3, 2024.
He applied for the court to grant leave allowing the charge to be read to the defendant.
The defence counsel, Ibrahim Chedi, objected to the prosecution’s request to read the charges to the defendant, arguing that the case was not ripe for arraignment since the defendant was served that very day.
He also mentioned that the defendant was arrested by INTERPOL in Abuja and granted administrative bail.
According to Chedi, the law required that the charge sheet be served on the defendant within seven days, as stipulated in Section 127 Sub 2 of ACJL 2019.
The counsel prayed the court to adjourn its sitting and allow the defendant to continue enjoying administrative bail earlier granted.
In his response, the prosecution counsel said the defendant refused to collect the charge sheet after she was granted administrative bail.
After considering arguments from both prosecution and defence counsel, Justice Ma’aji granted leave for the two charges to be read to the defendant.
According to the content of the charge, Qunfang allegedly requested her name be added as a signatory and forged the signature of a complainant, Mr Zhu Bin (a company’s client), and withdrew from the company’s account through her token the sum of $80,000 without the approval of other directors of the company.
The charge sheet additionally alleged that the defendant willfully demolished a building owned by Huafei International Nigeria Ltd.
The prosecution asserted that the charges violated sections of the Penal Code Law.
In response, Zhang Qunfang entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Asaph, requested an adjournment to respond to the bail application filed by the defence counsel, Mr Chedi.
Consequently, Justice Ma’aji adjourned the sitting until November 1, 2024, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered the defendant’s remand in a correctional centre. (vanguard)
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