By Alex Enumah in Abuja
Former Adamawa State Acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri was yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of N500m by the Abuja division of the Federal High Court trying him on alleged corruption and money laundering offences.
Trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed in a ruling on the bail application said the prosecution failed to show reasonable cause why the defendant would not be granted bail.
The judge rejected the claim of the prosecution led by Mr. Larry Aso that the former governor would jump bail if granted bail, adding that the claim could not be sustained because the defendant did not jump the administrative bail granted him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Part of the bail conditions was that the defendant shall produce sureties in like sum with proof of property ownership in Abuja.
The sureties were also to deposit title deeds of the property with the court alongside two recent passport photographs.
The defendant shall also deposit his international passport with the court and could only travel outside the country upon receipt of permission of the court.
Meanwhile the trial has been adjourned till October 6 by Justice Mohammed.
Fintiri was on Thursday, arraigned by EFCC on a five count charge bordering on money laundering involving about N2 billion.
The former governor was alleged to have defrauded the state government of N970 million and another $4. 830m during the three months period he managed the state as acting governor.
However Fintiri, denied all the charges when read before him.
He claimed that the money complained of by EFCC was his personal money and not that of Adamawa State as alleged by EFCC in the charge preferred against him.
He vowed to put up a good defence as soon as the trial commenced by the court in October.
Following his denial, his counsel, Mahmud Magaji applied for his bail on the grounds that the alleged offence was a bailable one.
The counsel anchored his argument for bail on section 35 subsection 6 of the 1999 Constitution which presumes his client innocent until proven otherwise.
Magaji also cited sections 158 and 163 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, in urging the court to admit the defendant to bail.
“We rely on these sections in seeking the order of the court to admit the defendant to bail pending the determination of the case.
“At this stage, the accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the prosecution. Mogaji submitted.
While acknowledging that the admittance of the defendant to bail is solely at the discretion of the court, the defence counsel stated that, prior to the arraignment of the defendant, he had been on administrative bail of the EFCC.
“Part of the requirement of the bail was that the defendant had to deposit his international passport with the EFCC”, he said.
While urging the court to admit his client to bail he assured the court that Fintiri would not jump bail and that he would always be available to defend himself.
However prosecution counsel, Aso opposed the bail application and referred the court to a document filed by the defence concerning a medical issue of the defendant which according him seemed to confirm their fears that the defendant may jump bail if his applicati9on was granted.
He said further that it appeared that Fintiri had lied on oath as the date which he said the doctor examined him was different from the date he said the doctor informed him of his ailment.
Part of the charges read, that you, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayim Construction and properties Ltd between the 3rd of June 2014 and August 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did retain in your US Dollars account number 5742019601 domicile at Eco bank plc the aggregate sum of $4,830.000.00 550, 000.000.00 which you know form part of proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
