A division of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that a businessman, Babagana Dalori, be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an alleged N95.5 million fraud.

In a statement signed by the anti-graft agency's spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Monday, it said Mr Dalori and his company, Galaxy Transportation and Construction Services, were arraigned before a judge, Muawiyah Idris, in Nyanya, Abuja.

He was charged with a 12-count charge bordering on breach of trust and obtaining by false pretence.

The accused allegedly obtained the sum from one Asiya Bala in September 2017.

The EFCC said his offence is contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) and punishable under Section 312 of the same Act.

The agency said Mr Dalori is 'notorious' for scamming individuals and that it had earlier remanded him at the Kuje Prisons, Abuja, on June 20 "for obtaining money by false pretence from one Abubakar Hajara."

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He is alleged to have collected N7 billion from 20,700 potential investors "luring unsuspecting investors with Returns on Investment (RoI) as high as 135 per cent and, in some cases, 200 per cent."

When the case was brought up for hearing, prosecution counsel, Maryam Ahmed, applied that the charges be read to the accused.

Court session

According to the statement, Mr Dalori pleaded "not guilty", to the charges.

The prosecuting counsel, however, asked the court to set a date for the hearing.

He also asked that the accused be remanded in the EFCC custody, arguing that the accused is still under investigation.

The judge granted the EFCC's request and adjourned the matter to Wednesday, September 4, 2019, for a formal bail application.