An Abuja High Court at Gudu on Thursday remanded the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Atiku Abubakar Kigo and five others in Kuje Prison, following allegation that they conspired and diverted the sum of N32.8 Billion from the Police Pension Fund.
The other accused persons who were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions (EFCC) alongside Mr Kigo were Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, John Yakubu Yusufu, Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula and Sani Habila Zira.
There was a mild drama in the court as the trial began. Two lawyers, Adeniyi Awomolo and John Egwuonu separately announced that they will be representing the accused persons.
Presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Abubakar Talba however asked each accused person to identify their counsel, clearing the air for the case to commence.
Each of the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the 16 count read to them.
Mr Awomolo, the counsel to the first defendant, made an application for bail, which was supported by the counsel to the other five accused persons, Mr Egwuonu based on the fact that the accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court of the law, therefore the accused persons can be admitted to bail.
The counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacob who did not object to the applications of the defence counsels, asked the court to set another date for the bail to be formally argued.
Though the accused persons begged the court to allow them to remain in the Custody of the EFCC pending the determination of their bail applications, the judge declined their request, saying that: “there is no law permitting the remand of an accused person in any other place apart from prison custody.”
He thereafter ordered the six accused persons to be remanded in prison till next Tuesday when their bail application will be argued. Consequently, the accused persons were moved to the Kuje prison.
Culled: Channelstv
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