Defendant in fraud case remanded after guilty plea controversy

The Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday, remanded one Mohammed Saliu at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending hearing of his bail application by his counsel.

Saliu was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy for defrauding one Baba-Bello Suleiman of 12,400 dollars.

When the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded guilty to count one of the charge leveled against.

His lawyer, Mr Ada Usman, immediately raised concerns, questioning whether his client fully understood the charge read to him.

He argued that Saliu did not adequately grasp the translation from English to Hausa, in spite the fact that court provided an interpreter.

However, the Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, along with the prosecuting counsel wondered why he would think that the defendant did not understand the charge as it was read to him in Hausa.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to counts two and three of the charge.

The defendant, with the permission of the court, said that he was not aware that the matter was coming up in court and so he did not adequately prepare for it hence his plea of guilty in count one.

His lawyer told the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client since January, but the judge wondered why he was only moving the application in October.

The prosecutor indicated plans to object to the bail application, citing the prolonged delay in bringing Saliu to court.

Justice Nwite then directed both counsel to address the court on the validity of the guilty plea, before ordering the defendant to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until Oct.14.