MOHAMMED Adoke, a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration on Thursday secured a N50 million bail.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and the second defendant, Aliyu Abubakar got the N50 million bail condition with sureties at a Federal Capital Territory High Court.
While Adoke is to provide a surety who must be a Nigerian with landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, Abubakar is expected to make available two sureties with a similar condition.
The presiding judge, Justice Othman Musa also has directed the two suspects to drop their international passports with the court’s registrar.
Based on the ruling, all the sureties must as well attend court proceedings all through the trial period of the accused persons.
Prior to this judgement, Adoke has been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He also spent the Christmas and New Year celebration in the EFCC detention shortly after his arrival from the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in December.
He is being accused of abuse of office, influencing the issuance of the controversial OPL 245 license among other corruption allegation.
Prior to his arrest, the EFCC had issued an arrest warrant against the minister who left the country immediately after he finished his tenure. But he claimed at the unveiling of his book that his sojourn was to clear his head until his return last year.
But all through the trial, the senior lawyer who was found guilty of 42 count charges pleaded not guilty.
Aside from the two accused persons, the third defendant, Rasky Gbinigie got N10 million bail with a surety.
He was made to sign an undertaken to prevent him from interfering with further investigation actions by the anti-graft agency.
However, Judge Othman emphasised that any breach of the bail conditions during Abubakar’s trial would lead to immediate revocation.
Unlike other sureties, Gbinigie’s surety was tasked to produce three years tax clearance certificate.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at oadanikin@icirnigeria.org. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin