Fresh arraignment of a senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Kano, Abdulkareem AbdulSalam Zaura stalled on Friday following his conspicuous absence at the court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes and other related Commission, (EFCC) filed a fresh application bordering on multi-million dollar fraud charged against AA Zaura after the judgement of the Appellate court.

The international business mogul was accused of defrauding a Kuwaiti indigene of $1.320 million, obtained through false pretence, a source from EFCC revealed. The hard currency was purportedly obtained by Zaura to develop real estate in Dubai, The Guardian gathered.

The Court of Appeal, Kano division in April 2022, however, ordered a fresh retrial of the case earlier dismissed and acquittal by Federal High Court which ruled in favour of Zaura.

The three panels of Justices of the appellate, presided by Justice Abdullahi Bayero, had stroked out the judgement of Justice Lewis Allagoa that discharged Zaura of the alleged financial theft in June 2020.

However, the retrial scheduled to open before Justice Mohammad Nasiru Yinusa on Friday suffered a setback with the absence of Zaura. Although, the prosecution and defense counsels were well represented at the court, the court through the registrar told journalists that the case is adjourned to October 31, 2022.

Although Zaura has headed to the Supreme court to challenge the retrial order delivered by the appellate court, as well as a stay of execution of the judgement, the defendant is yet to receive a ruling on the two applications.

Zaura, won the Kano Central Senatorial district APC primary in April after he defeated former senator Bashir Garba (Lador).