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Court grants ex-AGF Adoke bail, even as he prefers Kuje Prison

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Mohammed Adoke

The former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke has been granted bail on fresh money laundering charges.

A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, granted him the bail on Monday alongside the second defendant, Aliyu Abubakar.

The judge gave the same bail conditions Justice Idris Kutigi of the Gwagwalada Division of the Federal High Court in Abuja handed to the defendants when they were arraigned before him on January 30.

Recall that Justice Kutigi granted Adoke and Abubakar N50m bail each with a surety in like sum when they were arraigned over Malabu oil deal bribe.

Nyako, while adopting the same bail conditions, ordered the defendants to deposit their passport with the FCT High Court.

Counsels to the defendants, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), noting that their clients had already met the bail conditions, prayed the court to make a specific order barring the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from re-arresting them once the release order is served on the commission.

But the judge said such an order was not needed because there would not be any basis for the re-arrest or continued detention of the defendants once the court’s release order is served.

Earlier, the defendant had pleaded not guilty to the seven counts of making payments of the dollar equivalent of about N600 million in violation of money laundering law.

The EFCC claimed the offence was committed by the duo in September 2013.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr Bala Sanga, had after the defendant pleaded not guilty, prayed the court to remand them in the custody of the EFCC pending when their bail applications would be heard and determined.

But the defence lawyers told the court that they already filed their bail applications and had been responded to by the prosecution.

Ozekhome, speaking on behalf of his client Adoke, pleaded with the court to grant bail to the former AGF in liberal and affordable terms and conditions, adding that he would prefer that Adoke was remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre, instead of the custody of the EFCC.

“The first defendant voluntarily returned to the country. There is his statement attached to show that he returned to the country voluntarily. He did not run away. We have attached an exhibit to show that he went for his Masters’ study abroad.

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“We have deposed to the affidavit about his health conditions. The prosecution themselves brought him to court from the Federal Medical Centre near Jabi in Abuja, this morning.

“We also plead that he be taken to the Kuje Correction Centre, a euphemism for Kuje prison pending when he meets his bail conditions to avoid the mental psychological strictures he goes through in the custody of the EFCC.”

The matter was at the end fixed for April 1 and 2 for trial.

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