BY LINUS CHIBUIKE
THE Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Ali Ndume, Senator representing Borno South in the National Assembly.
Ndume had been remanded in the Kuje Correctional Center, following his inability to produce in court, a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, who he stood surety for.
Justice Okon Abang had, on Thursday, adjourned ruling on the bail application, having listened to the arguments of Counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mohammed Abubakar, and the senator’s lawyer, Marcel Oru.
Ndume’s lawyer described the refusal of Maina to appear for hearing, which led to the remand of his client, as highly despicable, even though the EFCC had opposed the bail application, saying it would amount to the Court sitting on appeal over its own ruling.
But on Friday, Justice Abang granted the senator bail, pending the hearing and determination of an appeal he filed to challenge Monday’s ruling, sending him to prison over his inability to produce the former pension reform boss.
In granting the bail, the Judge also cited Ndume’s record of good behaviour before the court.
The senator was however asked to produce one surety who must be a resident of Abuja, and who must be able to present evidence of ownership of property anywhere in the Federal Capital Territory.
His surety must also depose to an affidavit of means to indicate his readiness to forfeit the bail guaranty in the event of Ndume jumping bail.
The senator was also told to deposit his passport with the court’s Chief Registrar.
The EFCC is prosecuting Maina, alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Limited, on a 12-count charge of operating fictitious bank accounts, corruption, and money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.
His trial in absentia continued on Wednesday, with counsel to Common Input Property and Investment Limited (the second defendant), Adeola Adegbite, revealing his intention to disengage as the company’s counsel.
