Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday granted the Chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), Sani Malumfashi and his co-defendants bail.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Malumfashi alongside Secretary of KANSIEC, Mr Anas Muhammed Mustapha, and the commission’s Deputy Director, Account Department, Ardo Garba, for alleged N1 billion fraud.
The defendants were granted bail in the sum of N200 million each and two sureties in like sum.
The judge, in a ruling on their bail application moved by their counsel, Okechukwu Edeze (SAN), held that the offence with which the defendants are charged were bailable.
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He observed that the defendants are being prosecuted on money laundering and not capital offence.
“It is based on this, that this court is inclined to grant the bail application,” the judge said.
The judge also considered the fact that the ICPCs lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, did not oppose the application.
He, therefore, granted them bail in the sum of N200 million each with two sureties in like sum.
He said that each of the sureties shall be owner of property with minimum variation of N100 million within the Federal Capital Territory and shall sworn to affidavit of means.
He said the sureties shall show evidence of tax payment in the past three years and that the sureties and the defendants shall submit their recent passport photographs and certified true copies of their bank statements.
Justice Omotosho also ordered the defendants to submit their international passports, if available, to the registrar of the court and that the registrar shall verify all the documents and issue report accordingly.
The judge, who adjourned the matter until March 4 for commencement of trial, said the defendants shall remain in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Malumfashi’s co-defendants are the
Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), and his co-defendants, to N200 million bail each and two sureties in like sum.
Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling on their bail application moved by their counsel, Okechukwu Edeze, SAN, held that the offence with which the defendants are charged were bailable.
Justice Omotosho observed that the defendants are being prosecuted on money laundering and not capital offence.
“It is based on this, that this court is inclined to grant the bail application,” he said.
The judge also considered the fact that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, did not oppose the application.
The judge, therefore, granted them bail in the sum of N200 million each with two sureties in like sum.
He said that each of the sureties shall be owner of property with minimum variation of N100 million within the Federal Capital Territory and shall sworn to affidavit of means.
He said the sureties shall show evidence of tax payment in the past three years and that the sureties and the defendants shall submit their recent passport photographs and certified true copies of their bank statements.
Justice Omotosho also ordered the defendants to submit their international passports, if available, to the registrar of the court.
The judge, who adjourned the matter until March 4 for commencement of trial, said the defendants shall remain in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
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