Alleged N650m fraud: Court grants Akinjide’s bail application

A Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, granted bail to former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide, on self-recognition, in a case of N650 million fraud.
The judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek, also granted bail to Senator Ayoade Adeseun and Mr Olanrewaju Otiti in the same case, in the sum of N100 million.
The judge added that each of the sureties to be provided by the two accused persons, must deposit their passport photographs and Certificates of Occupancy of landed property belonging to them.
Abdulmaleek adjourned the case to September 12, for the commencement of trial.
The three accused persons were dragged before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over a N650 million fraud charge.
At the resumed hearing of the matter, Adeseun, who was conspicuously absent at the previous sitting, was seen in the dock, along with the other two accused persons.
When the charges were read to Adeseun, he pleaded not guilty to the 24-count charge proffered against him.
Mr O.F.A. Adeosun, the defence counsel, immediately prayed the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms and in self-recognition.
However, Mr Idriss Mohammed, counsel to the EFCC, objected the application, saying that the accused persons might jump bail.
Mohammed recalled that Adeseun had previously failed to make himself available in court, when the agency granted him administrative bail.
Meanwhile, Mr Richard Ogunwole (SAN), counsel to Akinjide, had earlier prayed the court to admit his client to bail, based on self-recognition.
With Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke still at large, Akinjide, Adeseun and Otiti have been standing trial over an alleged N650 million fraud in the run-off to the 2015 general elections.