Friday, March 29, 2024

Court grants ex-AGF, Ahmed Idris, two others bail over alleged N109bn fraud

An Abuja High Court has granted bail to former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and two others over an alleged N109 billion fraud.

The other two defendants in the case, who were also granted bail, are Godfrey Olusegun Akindele and Mohammed Kudu Usman and of course Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

In a ruling by Justice Adeyemi Ajayi, the Court adopted all the terms and conditions of the administrative bail the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, earlier gave the ex-AGF and his two co-defendants.

“In line with the due process and supremacy of the law, the Defendants are still entitled to bail, irrespective of the enormity of the allegations against them.

“The EFCC did not in any of its processes, stated that the Defendants misbehaved while on administrative bail”, Justice Ajayi noted.

As part of the conditions for the release of the defendants on bail, the court held that they must remain within the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja, adding that they must seek consent before travelling out.

The court further ordered the defendants to depose to an affidavit of assurance to abide by all their bail conditions.

It equally directed the defendants to surrender their international passports and also give assurance that they would not procure alternate passports during the pendency of the case.

Justice Ajayi held that the defendants should remain in Kuje prison until they are able to perfect their bail conditions.

The court on July 22, remanded them in prison custody after they were arraigned for allegedly diverting public funds to the tune of about N109.4 billion.

The 14-count charge against them borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

The defendants, who earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge against them, had through their respective lawyers, pleaded with the court to release them on bail.

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