Alleged 109bn fraud: Court grants bail to AuGF, two others

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A FEDERAL Capital Territory (FCT) High Court at Maitama has granted bail to former Accountant-General of the Federation (AuGF) Ahmed Idris and two others.

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Idris and the others are being prosecuted by the Federal Government over alleged N109 billion fraud.

Justice Adeyemi Ajayi, in a ruling on Thursday, 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, state that the defendants misbehaved while on administrative bail”, Justice Ajayi said.

Consequently, as part of the conditions for releasing the defendants on bail, the court held that they must remain within the FCT, Abuja, adding that they must seek consent before travelling out.

The court also ordered Idris and his co-defendants to submit an affidavit of assurance to abide by all their bail conditions.

The ex-AGF was was also ordered to submit his international passports to the court and give assurance that he would not procure alternate passports during the pendency of the case.

Justice Ajayi, however, also ordered that the defendants should remain in Kuje Prison until they perfect their bail conditions.

Idris had pleaded not guilty to a 14-count charge bordering on stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109.5 billion, preferred against him by the Nigerian government during his arraignment in court.

Other defendants in the case include Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Usman, and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

The ex-AGF was arrested on May 16 by the EFCC over alleged N80 billion fraud.

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