Alleged ₦4.6bn Fraud: Court Slams Stringent Bail Conditions on Bauchi Commissioner
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, who is standing trial over an alleged ₦4.6 billion fraud, but with stringent conditions reflecting the gravity of the charges against him.
Justice Emeka Nwite, while ruling on the bail application, ordered that the commissioner must provide a ₦500 million bail bond with two sureties of equal amount. The court stipulated that the sureties must own verifiable landed properties in choice areas of the Federal Capital Territory, including Maitama, Asokoro or Gwarinpa.
In addition, the sureties are required to deposit the original copies of their Certificates of Occupancy with the court and submit their international passports, a measure aimed at preventing any attempt to evade trial.
Justice Nwite further directed that the defendant must not travel outside Nigeria without the permission of the court and must submit his passport photographs alongside those of his sureties for proper identification.
Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, the court ordered that the commissioner be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, where he is to remain until all requirements are fully met.
The commissioner is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on multiple counts bordering on money laundering and diversion of public funds. The anti-graft agency alleged that the accused, alongside others, conspired to unlawfully divert ₦4.6 billion under the pretext of executing a government contract that was allegedly not carried out.
Counsel to the EFCC had opposed the bail application, urging the court to consider the magnitude of the alleged offence and the possibility of interference with investigations or witnesses. However, the defence argued that the defendant was entitled to bail, stressing the constitutional presumption of innocence.
In granting bail, the court noted that while the allegations were serious, bail remained a constitutional right, provided adequate safeguards were put in place to ensure the defendant’s availability for trial.
The case has been adjourned to a later date for the commencement of full hearing.