Justice Yusuf Ubale of the Kano State High Court on April 7, 2015 sentenced one Aliyu Zakari to two years imprisonment on  a 2-count charges bordering on Issuance of dud cheque brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The convict who is chief executive of AZH Enterprises Limited, was arrested by the Commission following a petition  alleging that he refused to pay part of the value of premium motor spirit and automotive gas oil sold to him by the petitioner, and that the cheques he issued to settle the debt were returned unpaid owing to insufficient funds in his account.

Count one reads, “That you AZH Enterprises Limited and Aliyu Zakari being the Chairman, CEO of AZH Enterprises Limited and the sole signatory to the Company’s First Bank account on or about 30th June, 2010 in kano within the judicial division of the High Court of Justice  of kano State did issue a First Bank Plc cheque No: 42199661 in the sum of N9,000,000.00 (Nine Million Naira only) to one Alhaji Magaji Ubale which when presented sometimes in July, 2010 was dishonoured on the ground that no sufficient funds were standing to the credit of the account upon which the cheque was drawn and you thereby  committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (1) (b) (i)(ii) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap. D11 Laws of the Federation, 2004".

When the charge was read to the accused person, he pleaded guilty. Consequently, the prosecution counsel A.T. Habib urged the court to convict him.

In view of his plea, Justice Ubale convicted and sentenced him to two years imprisonment without an option of fine. The Judge however imposed a fine of N10,000 only against the company.

Media & Publicity
7th April, 2015