A Federal Excessive Court docket sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State has imposed bail of N50 million on embattled former governor of the state, Abdulfatah Ahmed, after he pleaded not responsible to 12 costs bordering on alleged mismanagement of public funds value N10 billion.
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee on Friday produced Ahmed earlier than Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal Excessive Court docket in Ilorin.
The previous governor of Kwara State has been taken into custody by the EFCC after he was initially invited for questioning on Monday.
Among the many costs towards the previous governor is the usage of N1,610,730,500.00 meant for the safety and working bills of the Kwara State Authorities, in chartering non-public jets for native journey, on a number of events by means of Journey Messengers Restricted, whereas he was governor between 2015. -2019.
One other cost towards the governor was the conversion of the sum of N411 million meant for offering safety within the state between January and December 2018.
Additionally named because the second defendant was former Kwara State Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, who in an announcement by Dele Oyewale, Director of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, is dealing with a 10-count cost “which additionally borders on mismanagement of public funds whereas serving below Ahmed's administration as Finance Commissioner.”
In keeping with the assertion, the EFCC Chief Counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, knowledgeable the courtroom that Banu had canceled an administrative bail granted to him by the EFCC and that efforts to arrest him had failed.
He urged the courtroom to invoke Article 83 of the Legal Justice Act, to concern a summons towards his surety, Salami Bashiru Ola, and/or concern an arrest warrant towards the second suspect ( Banu).
The protection led by Kehinde Eleja, SAN, didn’t increase any protection in favor of the second defendant as he mentioned his look was for the primary defendant. In a quick ruling, Justice Anyadike issued an injunction towards Banu.
“After listening to the arguments and counter-arguments of each counsels, Justice Anyadike admitted that the primary defendant posted bail of N50 million, with two sureties of the identical quantity.
“In keeping with the decide, the guarantors should deposit their passports with the registrar of the courtroom. One of many guarantors will need to have a land holding in Ilorin with the possession paperwork of the property filed with the Registrar of the Federal Excessive Court docket,” the EFCC state mentioned partially.
Justice Anyadike thereafter ordered that the suspect be remanded in custody pending the completion of his bail situations whereas the matter was adjourned to April 29 and 30, 2024 for the graduation of trial.
