On Thursday, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court admitted former Minister of Power and Steel Olu Agunloye to bail in N50 million.

Mr Agunloye was charged with seven counts bordering on forgery, disobedience of presidential order and corruption in the suit marked FCT/HC/CR/617/22 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.

Ruling in Mr Agunloye’s bail application, the judge held that the defendant had placed enough facts before the court for it to be granted bail.

He added that bail would ensure a defendant is present in court to face trial and that bail is at the court’s discretion.

The judge held that the court was favourably disposed to grant the applicant/defendant bail and subsequently granted Mr Aguloye bail of N50 million with two sureties in like sum.

He ordered that the sureties must be persons of means and repute who possess landed property worth N300 million and must deposit photocopies of the documents of the property and their passports with the court.

The judge added that the sureties also have to be residents of FCT, and the court’s registrar would verify their residences. He further ordered that Mr Agunloye drop his passport with the court and not travel out of the country without the court’s permission.

Earlier, counsel for Mr Agunloye, Adeola Adedipe, said the former minister was not a flight risk, contrary to the prosecution’s claim. According to him, Mr Agunloye had voluntarily gone to the EFCC office on May 16, 2023, before the commission wrote a letter inviting him on May 19, 2023.

He told the court that shortly after the May 16 visit to EFCC, the defendant fell ill and was admitted to a hospital, which he (Agunloye) duly notified the commission in writing and pleaded for time to enable him to honour the invitation.

According to Mr Adedipe, the defendant filed a suit in court when EFCC’s pressure was becoming too much and notified the anti-graft agency of the pendency of the suit, only for EFCC to later declare him wanted on December 13, 2023.

Mr Adedipe urged the court to grant the defendant bail in self-recognizance of being an elderly statesman, the pioneer corps marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and his ill health or, in the alternative, be granted bail in most liberal terms.

Citing the appellate court decision on Dasuki vs director-general of the State Security Service, the senior counsel urged the court not to ask the defendant to get a civil servant as a surety before being granted bail.

He further said the provision of Section 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) has cleared the apprehension of the court on whether a defendant granted bail would jump bail or not.

Responding, prosecution counsel Abba Mohammed urged the court to refuse bail for the defendant being a flight risk. He added that the court should discountenance the submission made by Adedipe from the Bar, urging the court to confine itself to the issues raised in affidavits and counter affidavits before it.

EFCC urged the court to disregard the authority of Dasuki vs SSS’ director-general cited by Mr Adedipe, arguing that using it would breach the prosecution’s right to fair hearing as guaranteed by Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The judge adjourned the case until February 12 for a hearing.

(NAN)