ABUJA, Federal Republic of Nigeria. A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, granted a former Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim, bail in the sum of N270 million.
Ohakim, who is being prosecuted for N270m fraud allegedly perpetrated in 2008, is to produce a surety resident in Abuja to guarantee the bail.
The trial judge, Adeniyi Ademola, also ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to submit the passport and other travel documents seized from the former governor to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court.
The EFCC had on Wednesday arraigned Ohakim on three counts of fraud, including making cash payment of $2.29m (N270m) for a property in Asokoro, Abuja. Ohakim was ordered to remain in EFCC custody on Wednesday pending the hearing of his bail application on Thursday.
But the judge, in his ruling on Thursday, was silent on where the accused person should remain pending when he would meet the bail conditions.
At the hearing of the bail application on Thursday, the defence counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), urged the court to grant his client’s prayer.
Credit: Tribune (Nigeria)
