The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Bashir Ishaq Bashir at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, on a three-count charge of obtaining by false pretence and cheating to the tune of $1 million.

Bashir was arraigned alongside his companies, Leda Greenpower Consortium, Leda Greenpower Nigeria Limited and Leda Consortium Limited before Justice S.E. Aladetoyinbo on Thursday in Abuja.

The accused person allegedly collected $1 million as part payment of a $3 million agreement from Althani Investments Company Limited for the purpose of forming a consortium to bid for shares at the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company.

The EFCC stated that the bidding was however not successful and several attempts made by the company for a refund of the money proved abortive.After the charges were read out to the accused person, he pleaded “not guilty”.

Counsel to the EFCC, Rimamsomte Ezekiel, thereafter asked the trial judge to fix a date for hearing to commence, but defence counsel, A.B. Anachebe,SAN, asked the court to grant his client bail pending the date for hearing.

However, Ezeikel opposed the application, arguing that “the defendant if granted bail will interfere with prosecution witnesses”.

He further argued that the application was not proper in the sense that the defence only mentioned the name of the first defendant without reference to the second, third and fourth defendants.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Aladetoyinbo granted the accused person bail in the sum of N2 million and one surety in like some.

He added that the surety must be resident in Abuja and must have a landed property. The matter was subsequently adjourned to April 10, 2017 for commencement of hearing.