‘N109bn fraud’: Suspended accountant-general granted bail on liberal terms

A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama has granted bail to Ahmed Idris, suspended accountant-general of the federation.In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Adeyemi Ajayi, the judge, adopted all the terms and conditions of the administrative bail granted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“In line with the due process and supremacy of the law, the defendants are still entitled to bail, irrespective of the enormity of the allegations against them,” Ajayi said.

“The EFCC did not in any of its processes, stated that the defendants misbehaved while on administrative bail.”

The judge added that as part of their conditions for bail, the defendants must remain within the FCT, and must seek consent before travelling out.The defendants were also ordered to sign an affidavit promising to follow all of their bail terms.

They are to deposit their passports before the court and also undertake that they would not procure alternative passports during the pendency of their trial.

Adeyemi said the defendants must remain in Kuje correctional facility until they perfect the bail conditions.

In May, it was reported how Idris was arrested in Kano after he failed to respond to invitations by the commission to answer questions over the allegation of N80 billion fraud.

Two days later, Idris was suspended indefinitely “without pay” by Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning.

Last Friday, Idris was arraigned on a 14-count charge alongside Godfrey Olusegun Akindele and Mohammed Kudu Usman, and a firm — Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.