They were first arraigned on July 22 before a vacation judge, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi, on a 13-count charge bordering on misappropriation to the tune of N109.5 billion.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Suspended Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris and three others have been rearraigned in a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court over an alleged N109.5 billion fraud.
Others arraigned with him are Olusegun Akindele; Mohammed Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
365Daily recalls that they were first arraigned on July 22 before a vacation judge, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi, on a 13-count charge bordering on misappropriation to the tune of N109.5 billion.
The case was later transferred to Justice Yusuf Halilu upon resumption of the court.
They all pled not guilty to the charge preferred against them by EFCC.
Following their not-guilty plea, counsel for Idris, Chris Uche, SAN, prayed the court to allow the defendants continue to enjoy the earlier bail granted them by the court on July 28.
He submitted that they have been complying with their bail conditions. Other defendants aligned with Uche’s application and submission, while the EFCC counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, did not object to the application.
He, however, left the decision to the court to exercise its discretion.
Ruling on the application, Justice Halilu held that bail is a constitutional right of a defendant.
He added that having been previously granted bail by the court, he is favourably inclined to allowing the defendants to continuing enjoying the early bail granted them by the court.
He, however, directed that defendants submit their passports to the court’s registrar.
The judge added that if the documents are with the prosecution, it should pass same to the registrar.
Justice Halilu adjourned the case until Nov. 23 for hearing.