A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has granted bail to the Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, who has been in prison custody since Monday for standing as surety for Abdulrasheed Maina believed to have jumped bail.
Justice Okon Abang in a ruling on Friday said he chose to grant the senator bail based on his record of good behaviour before the court, notwithstanding that the other grounds of his bail application failed.
The judge granted bail to the senator pending the hearing and determination of Ndume’s appeal filed at the Court of Appeal to challenge Monday’s order sending him to jail for his inability to produce the fleeing Maina.
Justice Abang ordered the senator to produce one surety who, in addition to being a resident of Abuja, must present evidence of ownership of property anywhere in the federal capital.
According to the judge, the surety must also depose to an affidavit of means, and indicate readiness to forfeit the bail guaranty should the senator jump bail.
The judge also ordered the senator to deposit his passport with the Chief Registrar of the court.
He further ordered the lawmaker to file an undertaking that he would compile records of appeal and transmit same to the Court of Appeal within 10 days, as a way of demonstrating readiness to prosecute his appeal.
Maina, a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, is being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges of money laundering involving N2bn.
On November 18, 2020, Justice Abang had revoked the bail granted Maina and directed that his trial would proceed in absentia.
The judge also on Monday remanded Ndume in prison until he produced Maina or paid the sum of N500m bail bond to the Federation Account.
Ndume, through his lawyer, Marcel Oru, had on Tuesday filed an appeal against the remand order at the Court of Appeal, along with an application for the bail of the defendant filed before Justice Abang.