Justice
Ahmed Mohammed, of Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday ordered the remand of
former Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam and his ex-Commissioner of Finance,
Omodachi Okolobia, in the EFCC custody
pending perfection of his bail conditions.
The
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Suswam and Okolobia were arraigned
before the court on a nine-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust,
conspiracy and money laundering.
The two
respondents pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them by the court
registrar.
Prosecution
counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacob, SAN, did not oppose the bail application of the
defendants on the ground that they had been granted administrative bail by the
EFCC and had not jumped bail.
Justice
Mohammed held: “The respondents are granted bail in the sum of N100 million
each and a surety each in like sum.
“The
surety must be a civil servant of not less than the cadre of Director in the
federal, state or local government service.
“In the
alternative, the surety must have a national honour and must swear to an
affidavit of means.
“The
defendants shall submit their international passport to the registrar of the
court.
“Failure
to meet these requirements, the defendants shall be remanded in the EFCC
custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.’’
Suswam and
Okolobia were charged by the EFCC for alleged diversion of a total sum of N3.1
billion, realised from the sale of shares owned by Benue State Government and
Benue Investments and Property Ltd.
Justice
Mohammed adjourned the case till Dec. 8 for trial.
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