News

BREAKING: Court Denies Nnmadi Kanu Bail

Published

2 months ago

March 19, 2024

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday rejected the bail application by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, however, granted an accelerated hearing instead.

Counsel for the IPOB leader, Alloy Ejimakor, had at the last adjourned date urged the court to admit Kanu to bail before the commencement of the trial.

Ejimakor stated that Kanu’s health condition was deteriorating, adding that his continued detention by the DSS was a threat to his life.

Ejimakor also argued that the continued incarceration of Kanu would not enable him to put up a good defence in the matter.

But the counsel for the FG, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the bail application and instead grant an accelerated hearing.

He noted that the DSS has a medical facility that could take care of him.

Awomolo also accused Kanu of once jumping bail, adding that he failed to declare on oath in the affidavit filed by his lawyer that if granted bail, he wouldn’t jump bail.

He was earlier granted bail on health grounds on April 25, 2017, after spending 18 months in detention but he fled the country after an invasion of his residence by the military in September 2017.

News

EFCC Trial: ‘Even The Prophets Went To Prison’ – Buhari’s Minister Comforts Self In Court

Published

7 hours ago

May 10, 2024

Editor

A former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, standing trial for an alleged N7.2bn fraud, said he was ready to go to prison just like the prophets.

Sirika, his daughter, and three others were arraigned at a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Thursday on a six-count amended criminal charge before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.

A video of the ex-minister speaking in court with his lawyers surfaced on X on Thursday.

In the video, Sirika, dressed in cream Babariga, could be heard saying, “It’s okay. Fatima, it’s okay,” while comforting his daughter.

He continued, “Even prophets have gone (to prison). Those that went, haven’t they finished theirs already?…whatever Allah says”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had accused the ex-minister, his daughter, son-in-law and Al-Duraq Investment Limited, of fraud in connection with the botched Nigerian Air project.

Meanwhile, the court granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of N100m with two sureties each.

Before the trial judge, Justice Sylvanus Orji granted the bail request of the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them after it was read out to them.

The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, had informed the court of an amended charge by the EFCC dated May 7, and filed on May 8, which was not opposed by the counsel for the defendants.

Sirika’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), informed the court of his client’s bail application dated May 6.

The other defendants similarly, moved their bail applications and prayed the court to be liberal in the bail conditions.

Jacobs, on his part, told the court that all the defendants were on administrative bail and asked the court to grant bail on the condition that would make them appear for their trials.

Apart from the N100m bail, Justice Osuji added that one of the sureties must own a landed property with valid land titles in like sum within the Federal Capital Territory.

The judge also held that the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means while he barred the defendants from travelling outside the country without its permission.

He added that failure to fulfil the bail conditions would earn the defendants a stay in a correctional facility.