N109bn Fraud: Court Grants Ex-AGF, Ahmed Idris Bail

An Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, on Wednesday, granted bail to Ahmed Idris, former Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, and two others over an alleged N109 billion fraud.

Other defendants in the matter also granted bail, are: Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Adeyemi Ajayi, adopted all the terms and conditions of the administrative bail the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, earlier gave the ex-AGF and his two co-Defendants.

“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.

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

Consequently, as part of conditions for release of the Defendants on bail, the court, held that they must remain within the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja, adding that they must seek consent before travelling out.

The court further ordered the Defendants to depose to an affidavit of assurance to abide by all their bail conditions.

It directed the Defendants to surrender their international passports and also give assurance that they would not procure alternate passports during the pendency of the case.

Justice Ajayi held that the Defendants should remain in Kuje prison until they are able to perfect their bail conditions.

The court had on July 22, remanded them in prison custody after they were arraigned for allegedly diverting public funds to the tune of about N109.4 billion.

The 14-count charge against them borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

The Defendants, who earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge against them, had through their respective lawyers, begged the court to release them on bail.