Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto, Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Three Federal High Courts in Kano, Sokoto and Benin City thursday granted bail to some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) arraigned in the three jurisdictions of the court for money laundering offences.
Those arraigned and granted bail in Kano were former Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Ambassador Aminu Wali and the Campaign Director of President Goodluck Jonathan, Mansur Ahmad.
In Sokoto, former Deputy Governor and Minister of Water Resources, Mukhtari Shagari, Ibrahim Gidado, a former Information Commissioner; PDP Chairman, Ibrahim Milgoma, PDP Treasurer, Nasiru Dalhatu, as well as the state PDP governorship candidate in the 2015 election, Abdallah Wali.
In Edo State, former governorship candidate of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, state party Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih; former Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen; a former member representing Esan South East and Esan North East in the House of Representatives, Tony Azegbemi,and Mr. Efe Anthony were also arraigned and granted bail.
They were all accused of receiving various sums from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to prosecute the 2015 general election.
The offences were alleged to be contrary to sections 16(2) (b) and 18(a) of money laundering prohibition Act of 2011 (as amended).
In Kano, Justice Zainab Abubakar Kagi after listening to the arguments from the EFCC and the defence counsel, stood down the proceedings for about 40 minutes before rulings.
The judge, after the recess, granted the accused bail on six conditions, saying they should be remanded at the EFCC custody pending when they satisfactorily fulfilled the bail conditions.
The six conditions included N100 million each, two sureties, one with landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The landed property must have a C of O and must be verified by the Ministry of Land and be deposited with the court registrar.
The second surety must be a civil servant not below the rank of a director.
Also, he the accused should submit their international passports with the registrar and two copies of recent passport sized photographs.
In Sokoto, Justice Saleh Idrissa, granted bail to Shagari, Gidado, Milgoma, Dalhatu and Wali in the sum of N25million each with two sureties in like sum.
“The sureties should be a civil servant on grade level 13 and a respected member of the community who must be a resident of the state with a net worth of N25 million.
“The accused persons should also deposit their international passport before the court and deposit affidavit of means worth N25 million,†he stated.
According to him, he considered the bail applications by the defendants and counters from the prosecution side.
The judge said all the alleged offences were bailable, as they bordered on issues of money and financial transactions not capital offences.
The same applied in Edo where Ize-Iyamu, Orbih and others were also granted bail.
