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| Former Minister of Power and Steel Development, Olu Agunloye |
Justice J. O Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory,
FCT, High Court, Apo, Abuja, has slated the commencement of trial of a former Minister of Power and Steel
Development, Olu Agunloye for February 12, 2024.
Agunloye is standing trial by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, on seven-count
charges bordering on fraudulent award of contract and official corruption to
the tune of $6billion (Six Billion US
Dollars) contrary to and punishable under Section 22(4) of the Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
At Thursday, January 11, 20223’s session which was to
determine his bail application,
filed by his counsel, Adeola
Adedipe, SAN, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed made a strong objection,
citing two different counter affidavits to the bail application.
“We are objecting to
the general application by the defendant in an affidavit made on January 8,
2024, consisting 76 paragraphs. The deposition was made by Umar Hussain
Babangida. We also filed a further counter-affidavit, dated January 10, 2024
consisting of 25 paragraphs, deposed by Umar Hussain Babangida, annexed with
the same exhibits. We rely on all the exhibits and depositions on the
counter-affidavit on the defendant's application for bail and we also adopt the
written address,” he said.
However, the defence counsel prayed the court to grant his
client bail on liberal terms, disclosing that the defendant has an underlying
health condition.
Justice Onwuegbuzie in his ruling, granted Agunloye bail in
the sum of N50million (Fifty Million
Naira only), with two sureties in like sum. The sureties, he said, must be
people who are reputable and live in the Federal Capital Territory. The
sureties must also submit copies of their identity cards and international
passports to the court registrar and must depose an affidavit of means and write an undertaking to
produce the defendant in court throughout
the duration of the case.
The judge further ruled that the sureties must show evidence
of ownership of property (C of O) amounting to N300 million (Three Hundred
Million Naira) within Maitama,
Abuja.
Furthermore, the defendant was ordered to surrender his
travel documents to the court registrar and should not travel out of the
country without leave of the court. His residential address should also be
verified by the court.
Source: EFCC
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