Alleged N109.4bn fraud: Court revokes bail granted ex-AGF, Idris’s co-defendant

• …sends him back to correctional center

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Maitama, yesterday, revoked the bail it earlier granted to the 3rd Defendant, Mohammed Usman, in the suit against the former Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), is trying the former AGF and his co-defendants on a 14-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N109 Billion.

At the last adjourned date, the court granted the former AGF bail in the sum of N5bn with two sureties who must be a Director and a Permanent Secretary.

Justice Adeyemi Ajayi, also granted the 2nd and 3rd defendants bail in the sum of N2bn each with two sureties that must be Directors.

However, at the resumed proceedings, yesterday, the trial Justice Adeyemi Ajayi revoked the (Usman)3rd defendant’s bail following his failure to arrive at the court room on time.

Usman was absent when the trial Judge entered the courtroom around 9:20am, though his lawyer, Ibrahim Ishaku, SAN, notified the court that he was held up in a gridlock.

Dissatisfied with the excuse, Justice Ajayi revoked the Defendant’s bail and ordered hís remand at the Kuje prison.

The prosecution agency alleged that Usman who was the Director of the Federation Account, and one Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, in connivance with the erstwhile AGF, diverted public funds to the tune of about N109.4bn, using the account of a company, Gezawa Commodity Market & Exchange Limited, which is the 3rd defendant in the matter.

According to the court, it was inclined to adopt all the terms and conditions of the administrative bail the EFCC previously gave to the defendants.

Meanwhile, the court had adjourned the matter till October 4 to enable the defence lawyers to consult their clients on some statements EFCC moved to tender in evidence against them.