By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, refused an application for bail variation filed by the British national, James Nolan for lacking in merit.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed that he forged resident permit and that if granted bail he might jump bail.
Refusing the bail variation, justice Abang wondered why Nolan could not respond to the serious allegation that he might jump bail.
Justice Abang had, on Nov. 7, admitted Nolan to a bail in the sum of N500 million, the decision he said was a rick on his own part.
The bail was on the condition that the applicant must produce a surety in like sum, who must be a Nigerian and a serving senator not standing any criminal trial in any court in Nigeria.
Besides, he held that the proposed surety must submit a three years tax clearance certificate and sign an undertaking to always be present in court with the defendant throughout the duration of the trial.
“The senator must have a landed property fully developed in Maitama District of Abuja and fully certified by the FCDA.
”The surety must submit two passport photographs,” Abang had ruled.
The court also ordered the defendant to surrender all his international passports, even as it mandated the Nigerian Immigration Service to confirm how many passports that were issued to him within the past 20 years.
On October 21, Nolan and Adam Quinn (at large), both British nationals, were arraigned over their alleged complicity in the 9.6 billion dollars judgment against Nigeria.
Process and Industrial Development (P&ID), an Irish engineering company, had secured the award against Nigeria following the non-execution of a 20-year gas and supply processing agreement (GSPA) the company had with the federal government.
The arraignment of the two British nationals is coming weeks after two P&ID directors were convicted over the deal.
The defendants, both directors of Goidel Resources Limited, a Designated Non-Financial Institution and ICIL Limited, were arraigned on a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.
The matter has been adjourned till Dec. 10 for trial continuation.
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