Former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and minister of defence, Bello Haliru Mohammed, and his son, Bello Abba Mohammed, who are standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering, were on Thursday granted bail in the sum of N300 million by Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The two are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for their role in the misappropriation of funds meant for procurement of arms under former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, a retired Colonel.

They had both pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were arraigned on Tuesday, January 5, 2015, and sought bail.

According to one of the charges brought against them: “That you Bello Abba Mohammed, Bam Projects and Properties Limited and Dr. Bello H. Mohammed on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court took possession of the sum of N300,000,000 (Three Hundred Million Naira) paid into the account of Bam Projects and Properties Limited with Sterling Bank Plc from the account of the office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceed of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd); the then National Security Adviser (to wit: Criminal Breach of Trust and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act”.

Although the application for bail was opposed by the prosecution counsel, the trial judge, Justice Mohammed admitted Bello Abba Ahmed (1st defendant) to bail in the sum of N300million and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a civil servant in the Federal Civil Service not below grade level 12 and the second surety must have landed property and title documents worth N300million.

The judge also ruled that the sureties must deposit their international passports with the court registrar.

The senior Mohammed was equally given bail in the sum of N300 million and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a director in the Federal Civil Service while the other must own a landed property in Abuja, with the original title documents deposited in court.

The two sureties were also mandated to deposit their international passports together with two recent passport photographs with the court.

While the son is to remain in Kuje Prisons, his father is to remain in Abuja Clinics and under the supervision of the Inspector General of Police until their bail conditions are met, the court ruled.

Justice Mohammed adjourned the case to February 16, 2016 for commencement of trial.