The Federal High Court Abuja Division has finally granted the suspended Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Idris Ahmed and his co-defendants bail upon terms and condition given by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Adeyemi Ajayi who delivered the ruling today in Abuja ordered that the defendants shall not leave the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) but must seek clearance from the court if they have to do or have their bail revoked. The defendants are also required to sign an undertaking that they will abide by the bail conditions by 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 in spite of allegations against them, since the prosecution did not mention that the defendants misbehaved while in EFCC custody. Trial has commenced immediately after the ruling on bail application.
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 Idris, Chris Uche prayed the court to allow the defendant to continue enjoying the administrative bail granted to him by the EFCC. 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.
