By Lizzy Chirkpi

The Abuja Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the director of Rhas Nigeria Limited, Liwa Sarirddine, alongside the company before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja over the alleged issuance of a N10 million dud cheque.

The defendants were arraigned before Justice A.H. Musa on a one-count charge bordering on the alleged issuance of a dishonoured cheque.

According to the charge, the defendants allegedly obtained credit from Ismail and Partners in the sum of N10 million in 2020 by issuing a cheque dated October 15, 2020, which was subsequently dishonoured when presented for payment within the statutory period due to insufficient funds.

The charge reads:

“That you, Rhas Nigeria Limited and Liwa Sarirddine (being the director of the said Rhas Nigeria Limited), sometime in 2020 in Abuja… did obtain credit from Ismail and Partners in the sum of N10,000,000 by means of a cheque dated October 15, 2020, which when presented for payment within three months of the date was dishonoured and returned on the ground that there was no sufficient credit standing in the account… thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of the Dishonoured Cheque (Offences) Act.”

Sarirddine pleaded not guilty on behalf of himself and the company.

Following the plea, EFCC prosecuting counsel, Mariya U. Shariff, asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending the commencement of proceedings.

Defence counsel, however, applied for bail, a request that was not opposed by the prosecution.

In his ruling, Justice Musa admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.

The court directed that one of the sureties must be a Level 10 civil servant, while both sureties are required to depose to affidavits, which will be verified by the court registrar before the bail conditions are deemed satisfied.

The case was subsequently adjourned for the commencement of trial.