From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Former Accountant General of the Federation, (AGF), Ahmed Idris, has been granted bail by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, after six days in prison custody.
Equally granted bail by the court are Godfrey Olusegun Akindele and Mohammed Kudu Usman.
Justice Adeyemi Ajayi adopted all the terms and conditions attached to the administrative bail that was earlier granted to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
More importantly, Justice Ajayi noted that the prosecution agency did not disclose, in any of its process before the court, that the defendant misbehaved while on administrative bail.
“In line with 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,” the judge ruled.
In adopting the conditions attached to his administrative bail, the court held that they must remain within the 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. Before the ruling yesterday, the court had, 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.