Two former Nigerian ministers, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode and Nenadi Usman, are to remain in prison till Monday, July 4, as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has reserved ruling on their bail applications.
Fani-Kayode and Usman were the directors of Media and Finance respectively of the Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Organisation in the 2015 general election.
Both men alongside Danjuma Yusuf and Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Limited were on June 28 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice M. Hassan on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, corruption and making cash payments exceeding the amount authorised by law.
The accused persons are alleged to have diverted about 4.9 billion Naira belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria for political and personal uses.
They had pleaded not guilty. Consequently, their counsel, Ferdinand Orbih, Ifedayo Adedipe and S. I. Ameh moved the motion for bail, having filed separate applications in which they asked the court to release their clients on bail.
But the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, said he needed time to respond to the applications.
Justice Hassan consequently adjourned proceedings to July 1 for hearing of the bail applications.
According to Channels Television’s judiciary correspondent, Shola Soyele, at the resumed hearing on Friday, counsel to the defendants argued the applications.
Mr Orbih asked the court to admit the first accused person to bail based on self-recognition pending the hearing and determination of the charges preferred against her. He also prayed the court to grant her bail on very liberal terms. Adedipe and Ndukwe aligned themselves with Orbih. However, the prosecution counsel, Nkereuwem Mark Anana, opposed the applications.
However, he stated that “where the court decides to exercise its discretion in favour of the defendants, it should impose conditions that will compel them to attend trial”. Justice Hassan consequently adjourned to July 4, 2016 for ruling.
