Politics
Breaking! Alleged forgery: Saraki, Ekweremadu get bail, to be remanded in prison if…
The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, were on Monday granted bail by an Abuja High Court, presided over by Justice Yusuf Halilu, and would be remanded in Kuje prison if they fail to meet bail conditions over alleged case of forgery.
The Senate President and his Deputy were arraigned alongside former Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa and his deputy, Mr. Benedict Efeturi, over their alleged complicity in forgery of the Senate Standing Rules, 2015. The two lawmakers took turns and pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge tabled against them by the federal government.
Read also: Saraki/Ekweremadu arraigned for forgery, hear charges
Not long after the defendants entered their plea to the charge marked CR/219/16, the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri, informed the court of FG’s counter-affidavit opposing that the accused persons should be released on bail.
Diri informed the court that the counter-affidavit, filed Monday morning, was still pending before the court’s registry and therefore asked trial Justice Yusuf Halilu to stand-down the matter for an hour to allow the registry to communicate the process to the court for hearing.
On resumption, Justice Halilu gave condition that the accused must produce two sureties who must be Nigerians with landed properties in Asokoro, Maitama, Garki, Wuse 2for bail, adding that they will be thrown into Kuje Prisons if they fail to meet the bail condition.
The court adjourned till July 11 for commencement of trial.
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