BY FOLASHADE KEHINDE
A Federal Capital Territory High Court has revoked the bail earlier granted to a director of the Federation Account, Mohammed Usman, in the money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Ahmed Idris, a former Accountant-General of the Federation.
Usman is the third defendant in the 14-count charge involving another Godfrey Olusegun Akindele. They were said to have diverted public funds to the tune of about N109.4bn, using Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited’s account.
Justice Adeyemi Ajayi revoked Usman’s bail and ordered his remand in Kuje prison, owing to his failure to arrive at the court room on time. He arrived after the trial Judge entered the courtroom at about 9:20am.
His lawyer, Ibrahim Ishaku, SAN, had however earlier notified the court that he was held up in a gridlock. But the judge still took a stand against the defendant.
THE POINT recalls that the court had granted the former AGF bail in the sum of N5bn on July 28 with two sureties.
The 2nd and 3rd defendants were also granted bail in the sum of N2bn each with two sureties.
Apart from producing a permanent Secretary and directors as sureties, the defendants were also barred from travelling out of Abuja and ordered to surrender their travelling documents while the case is ongoing.
The first prosecution witness, Hayatudeen Ahmed, had alleged before the court that the defendants diverted about N84.7billion out of $2.2billion meant for nine oil producing states under the guise that they were settling consultants.
The former AGF, he said, was arrested, following the outcome of an investigation into a petition the Federal Treasury Concerned Staff Association lodged against him.
