A 40-year-old businessman, Hassan Raymond, was on Monday arraigned in a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged employment scam.
The defendant, a resident of Hayin Bakin in Kawo, Kaduna state, is standing trial on a one-count charge of fraud.
While arraigning the defendant, the prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in August 2021.
According to Leo, the defendant defrauded one Solomon Elisha and Williams Daniel of the sum of N2 million in the guise that he would help their children gain employment into the Nigerian Army.
The prosecution further said that the defendant was arrested when the complainants’ children went to Zaria, Kaduna state, to meet the “officer in charge” of the recruitment and realized that the defendant had lied to their parents.
Leo said the offence contravened Section 243 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The defence counsel, Mr Sunday Amos, applied for bail on behalf of the defendant in most liberal terms, pledging that the defendant would not jump bail, but would provide reliable sureties.
The magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.
Emmanuel added that the surety must swear to an affidavit of means, resides within the court jurisdiction and the address must be verified by the prosecutor.
He stated that the surety must present two years tax clearance certificate and three recent passport photographs.
The case was adjourned until March 29 for hearing.