ABUJA, Federal Republic of Nigeria. THE Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, granted bail to the former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, on self recognition.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had, on Monday, arraigned Moro alongside a former Director in the Ministry, F.O. Alayebami and a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, on an 11-count charge bordering on complicity in a N676 million immigration recruitment scam.
The trial judge, Justice Anwuli Chikere, while ruling on Abba Moro’s bail application alongside his co-defendants, said the prosecution failed to prove that the former minister would interfere with investigation or refuse to turn up in court to face his trial if granted bail.
Former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro
“The first defendant (Abba Moro) was a minister, a senior citizen and a former public servant. I am of the view that he will not intefere with investigation if granted bail.
“Accordingly, bail is granted to Abba Moro on self recognition,” justice Chikere stated.
The judge had, at the last sitting of the court, ordered that Moro and his co-defendants be remanded at the Kuje Prisons in Abuja, pending her decision on their application for bail.
Justice Chikere granted the two other defendants bail in the sum of N100 million each and one surety each, in like sum.
The court said the surety to the former Director in the Ministry, Alayebami and former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Nwobia (second and third defendants) must be a public servant, not below the rank of a director.
The sureties, the court held must have landed property in any part of the country and that the documents of the property must be deposited with the court, alongside their recent passport photograph.
Justice Chikere said Abba Moro and his co-defendants must deposit their international passport with the bank as part of the conditions for their bail and slated April 27 to commence trial in the matter.
Moro and the other defendants had pleaded not guilty before the court on Monday, when EFCC arraigned them on 11-count charge bordering on fraud in the 2014 job recruitment exercise for the Nigeria Immigration Service, which led to the death of 20 job seekers.
The accused persons were alleged to have contravened the Public Procurement Act No. 65 of 2007 in the contract awards, by not following the necessary procedures laid down by the government.
EFCC said the award of the contract to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited had no prior advertisement, no needs assessment and a procurement plan was not carried out before the award of the contract.
The commission added that there was no budgetary provision for the exercise in the 2014 federal budget, hence, the applicants were made to bear the responsibility of funding the project without the approval of the board, contrary to Section 22(5) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission Act, 2000.
Apart from the charges of obtaining money by false pretences, the ex-minister and others were also accused of breaching the Public Procurement Act with the manner they went about the recruitment contract allegedly awarded to Drexel.
Credit: Tribune (Nigeria)
