Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Nigerian Court Releases  Oronsaye, Lamido and Sons
Tuesday, 14 July 2015 04:00
Written by John Chuks Azu & Ismail Mudashir, Kano
Nigerian Daily Trust

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the release of former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Stephen Oronsaye who pleaded not guilty to a 24-count charge of concealment of public funds totalling N1.9 billion.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Oronsaye and three others of concealment of funds in the biometric data contract award to various companies during his tenure in 2010.

Those charged with Oronsaye are Osarenkhe Afe, Fredrick Hamilton  Global Services Ltd and Abdulrasbeed Maina, now at large.

Following the plea of non-guilty by the accused persons, defence counsels Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Wale Aladedoyin both made oral application for their bail.

But EFCC counsel Yusuf Aliyu objected to the oral application and asked the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody due to the inadequate accommodation in EFCC custody.

In his ruling, Justice Gabriel Kolawole ordered the release of the accused persons on the undertaking of their counsels to produce them in court for the hearing of the bail application. He adjourned the case to July 21.

Meanwhile, Justice Kolawole has fixed today for ruling in a bail application by former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.

Lamido was remanded in prison custody on the orders of a Federal High Court in Kano after he was arraigned along with his two sons Aminu and Mustapha on corruption charges.

Lamido and sons were moved out of the Kano Central prison yesterday, Daily Trust gathered.

They are facing allegation of money laundering amounting to N1.351bn preferred against him by the EFCC.

“They moved them out of the prison secretly this morning(yesterday) to Abuja,” a prison source said.

Justice Evelyn N. Anyadike who remanded the accused persons in prison custody had asked their lawyer to apply for their bail through a vacation judge.

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