•Sons, aide admitted to N25m bail with two sureties
After about three days in prison custody, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha – and one of their aides, Aminu Wada Abubakar, were granted bail yesterday by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a ruling on their bail applications, Justice Gabriel Kolawole granted bail to Lamido on self recognition in view of his status as an ex-governor.
The judge admitted Aminu, Muspaha and Abubakar to bail, but at N25 million and two sureties each.
Justice Kolawole said one of the sureties must be a Level 16 civil servant in either a federal or state establishment. The other, the judge said, must be an entrepreneur, who must own a property worth N75 million located in Abuja, Kano or Jigawa.
He ordered the accused persons to deposit their travel documents with the court, which they could retrieve whenever they wish to travel.
The judge said the decision to have their travel documents, currently with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), retrieved and deposited in court was not to deny the accused their right of movement, but for the court to be aware of their movements.
Justice Kolawole said the accused ought not to have been denied bail because some of their supporters were milling round the court. He said that was an issue for the police to handle.
The judge said he would return the case file to the court’s Chief Judge, for onward transfer to the Kano division of the court, from where the case was brought to him.
Lamido, his two sons and Abubakar were arraigned on July 9 before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Kano division of the Federal High Court on a 28-count bordering on corruption, abuse of office and money laundering, to which they pleaded not guilty.
Justice Ayandike declined to take their bail application in view of the court’s approaching vacation and adjourned to September 28 for trial and directed that they be remanded in prison till then.
The judge also said they could approach the court’s headquarters in Abuja where a vacation judge was sitting.
Justice Kolawole, who is the sitting vacation judge in Abuja, granted them bail yesterday.
Dressed in white traditional attire, Lamido, who appeared emaciated, maintained a pensive look, while proceedings lasted yesterday.
Aminu and Mustapha, who stood with their father and Abubakar in the dock, smiled throughout the proceedings that lasted hours. They looked unruffled.
Lamido was accused of using his position as the governor of Jigawa State, between 2007 and 2015, to award contracts to companies in which he and the two sons had interest. The money involved, the EFCC said, was N1.351 billion.
Some of the companies include Bamaina Holdings Limited, Bamiana Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminum Limited and Speeds International Limited.
After about three days in prison custody, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha – and one of their aides, Aminu Wada Abubakar, were granted bail yesterday by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a ruling on their bail applications, Justice Gabriel Kolawole granted bail to Lamido on self recognition in view of his status as an ex-governor.
The judge admitted Aminu, Muspaha and Abubakar to bail, but at N25 million and two sureties each.
Justice Kolawole said one of the sureties must be a Level 16 civil servant in either a federal or state establishment. The other, the judge said, must be an entrepreneur, who must own a property worth N75 million located in Abuja, Kano or Jigawa.
He ordered the accused persons to deposit their travel documents with the court, which they could retrieve whenever they wish to travel.
The judge said the decision to have their travel documents, currently with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), retrieved and deposited in court was not to deny the accused their right of movement, but for the court to be aware of their movements.
Justice Kolawole said the accused ought not to have been denied bail because some of their supporters were milling round the court. He said that was an issue for the police to handle.
The judge said he would return the case file to the court’s Chief Judge, for onward transfer to the Kano division of the court, from where the case was brought to him.
Lamido, his two sons and Abubakar were arraigned on July 9 before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Kano division of the Federal High Court on a 28-count bordering on corruption, abuse of office and money laundering, to which they pleaded not guilty.
Justice Ayandike declined to take their bail application in view of the court’s approaching vacation and adjourned to September 28 for trial and directed that they be remanded in prison till then.
The judge also said they could approach the court’s headquarters in Abuja where a vacation judge was sitting.
Justice Kolawole, who is the sitting vacation judge in Abuja, granted them bail yesterday.
Dressed in white traditional attire, Lamido, who appeared emaciated, maintained a pensive look, while proceedings lasted yesterday.
Aminu and Mustapha, who stood with their father and Abubakar in the dock, smiled throughout the proceedings that lasted hours. They looked unruffled.
Lamido was accused of using his position as the governor of Jigawa State, between 2007 and 2015, to award contracts to companies in which he and the two sons had interest. The money involved, the EFCC said, was N1.351 billion.
Some of the companies include Bamaina Holdings Limited, Bamiana Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminum Limited and Speeds International Limited.
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