A former Commercial Director of Process and Industrial Development, (P&ID) Limited, Mohammed Kuchazi who is being prosecuted alongside his company, Kore Holdings Limited before Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja on money laundering charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was on Thursday, February 4, 2021, granted bail in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum, one of whom must have a landed property with Certificate of Occupancy within the Federal Capital Territory.
The identities of the sureties must be verified by EFCC while the defendant’s International Passport shall be deposited with the Court.
The court also obliged the defendant the permission to seek medical attention in any hospital of his choice within Abuja while still in EFCC’s custody.
The defendant’s lead counsel, Felix Tyokase had also approached the Court, seeking an order to bar the prosecuting counsel, Bala Sanga from talking to the press regarding the ongoing trial. He expressed dissatisfaction with the interview which Sanga granted an online media, claiming the counsel pronounced his client guilty of a charge pending before the court.
Justice Giwa, however, advised counsel to exercise restraint in talking to the press on matters before the court to avoid negative imputations.
Kuchazi and his company are facing an eight count charge that borders on flouting the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) regulations for Designated Non-Financial Institutions as prescribed by the Money Laundering Act.
The court was adjourned till April 27, 2021 for the commencement of trial.