•••ADJOURNS CASE TO JULY 27
Justice O A. Adeyemi-Ajayi, of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, adjourned till July, 27, the hearing of the bail application of the former Accountant-General, Ahmed Idris, and three others over 14 charges of N109billion fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), docked Mr Idris alongside three others, Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited, over 14 charges of N109billion fraud, on Friday.
The prosecution, Rotimi Jacobs, prayed the court to grant the prosecution leave to prefer a criminal charge under section 109 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015) (ACJA) against them.
Justice Adeyemi-Ajayi, granted him his prayers.
Count one of the 14 charges filed against Mr Idris and others by the EFCC, reads: “That you, Ahmed Idris, between February and December, 2021 at Abuja, in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, being a public servant by virtue of your position as the Accountant General of the Federation, accepted from Olusegun Akindele, a gratification in the aggregate sum of N15,136,221,921.46 ( Fifteen Billion, One Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Two Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty One Naira and Forty Six Kobo), which sum was converted to the United States Dollars by the said Olusegun Akindele and which sum did not form part of your lawful remuneration but as a motive for accelerating the payment of 13% derivation to the nine (9) oil producing States in the Federation, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and you, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 155 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and punishable under the same section”.
After reading the charges, the defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the 14 charges.
Counsel to Mr Idris, Chris Uche, made an oral application for the bail of his client.
But Mr Jacobs opposed the oral bail application, arguing that it must be done in writing.
However, Mr Uche pleaded for the release of his client pending the filing of a written application for his bail.
According to him, the court should consider that the defendants had been on administrative bail granted him by the EFCC.
“Since there is no complaint that they have breached any of the conditions, they should be allowed to continue on that bail,” Mr Uche said.
After hearing all the arguments, Justice Adeyemi-Ajayi said in her ruling; that “the court is not a puppet to dance to the rhythm of public opinion.
“In the interest of justice for all, they are remanded in prison custody,” and adjourned the case till July 27.