Alleged Theft: Suspended Accountant-General, co-defendants granted bail
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Idris Ahmed and his co-defendants, bail upon terms and conditions given by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Delivering the ruling, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi ordered that the defendants shall not leave the Federal Capital Territory, and should they want to, they would have to seek clearance from the court or have their bail revoked.
The court also stated that the defendants shall sign an undertaking that they will abide by the bail conditions of the EFCC.
Justice Ajayi also ordered that the defendants should not have and shall not procure alternate passports until the case is done with, having deposited their original passports to the commission.
The trial Judge gave the ruling on grounds that the allegations against the defendants are yet to be proven.
The court also stated that in line with the rule of law, the defendants are entitled to bail despite allegations against them, since the prosecution did not mention that the defendants misbehaved while in EFCC custody.
The trial commenced immediately after the ruling on the bail application.
Recall that Idris and his co-defendants have been in and out of court within the last two weeks following a 14-count charge bordering on theft and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109.5 billion, preferred against them by the Nigerian government.
During their arraignment in court on Friday, the defendants pleaded not guilty and asked that they be granted bail.
Counsel to Mr Idris, Chris Uche prayed the court to allow the defendant to continue enjoying the administrative bail granted to him by the EFCC.
Mr Uche added that the EFCC has the defendants’ international passports, and as such, they should be allowed to come back on Monday to take their bail application.
The lawyer asked the court to permit the defendants to come back on Monday and not remand them at any correctional facility.
However, their plea was not granted even as Justice Ajayi ordered that they be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Facility, noting that the court is not a puppet to dance to the rhythm of public opinions.