A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted Hadi Sirika N100 million bail in the N2.7 billion charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC on Thursday arraigned Sirika, his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, his son-in-law, Jalal Hamma and a company named Al-Duraq Investment Ltd before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.
The former Minister for Aviation pleaded not guilty to the charges filed by the EFCC against him and his three co-defendants.
They are facing a six-count amended charge to the tune of N2.7 billion.
The EFCC on Thursday arraigned Sirika, his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, his son-in-law, Jalal Hamma and a company named Al-Duraq Investment Ltd before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT High Court for Maitama, Abuja.
The EFCC on April 23 detained Sirika as part of its investigations into the financial malfeasance allegedly committed by the former minister, including fraudulent contracts awarded by the ministry under his watch.
Sirika was invited by the Abuja Zonal Command of the commission on the alleged contract malfeasance and was promptly interrogated and detained at the Commission.
The former minister was invited for questioning by investigators handling the alleged contract frauds under his watch in the ministry.
The arraignment was earlier slated to hold on Tuesday but due to EFCC prayer to amend the charge, a new date was given.
The trial was subsequently fixed for June 10, 11 and 20, 2024.
