A FEDERAL High Court (FHC) in Abuja has granted the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his daughter Fatima, and two others ₦100 million bail over alleged N2.7 billion fraud for which they are standing trial.
The other two defendants in the case by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are Jalal Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd.
Sirika pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the six-count charge was read to him.
His counsel, Kanu Agabi, urged the court to grant him bail on self-recognition as a former minister.
Lawyer to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, did not oppose the bail application but asked the court to impose hard bail conditions on the accused.
After the arguments, the trial judge, Sylvanus Oriji, granted the accused bail of N100 million each and two sureties in like sum.
According to the court, in addition to the money, they must make sureties available who must have landed properties in Abuja and be responsible citizens.
In addition, the sureties must hold legally registered landed holdings within the FCT.
The court also prohibited the accused from leaving the country without authorisation.
Oriji ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison if they failed to meet their bail conditions.
The trial is scheduled to start on June 10, 11, and 20.
On Wednesday, May 8, The ICIR reported that the EFCC charged Sirika, his daughter and two other suspects in court.
Sirika is standing trial a few weeks after the anti-graft agency quizzed him over alleged money laundering.
It was learnt that the former minister met with EFCC investigators to answer questions on alleged fraudulent contracts he awarded to Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger brother, Abubakar Sirika.
The ICIR reported on June 15, 2023, that EFCC summoned him over the N3 billion Nigeria Air project.
The former minister on an Arise Television programme on Sunday, June 11 2023, argued that of the N5 billion budgeted for the project take-off, only N3 billion was released, contrary to the speculation that the Aviation Ministry had spent N85 billion on the failed Nigeria Air project.
The bulk of the expended funds, according to Sirika, was channelled into consultancies, salaries, and administrative costs associated with setting up the national carrier.
The ICIR reported that both the Senate and the House of Representatives aviation committees had criticised the unveiling of the Nigeria Air aircraft, with the latter labelling it a fraud.
A reporter with the ICIR
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