November 14, (THEWILL) – A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has revoked the bail earlier granted to Geoffrey Olusegun Akindele, one of the defendants in the trial of a former accountant-general of the federation, Ahmed Idris, over an alleged fraudulent diversion of public funds to the tune of N109.5 million.
Justice Yusuf Halilu revoked the bail following Akindele’s non-appearance in court for the continuation of the trial.
Akindele, who is the second defendant in the case marked CR/199/2022 and Idris, are standing trial alongside Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
Idris, among others, was alleged to have between February and December 2021, while being a public servant by his position as Accountant-General of the Federation accepted from Olusegun Akindele, the second defendant, a gratification of the aggregate sum of N15,136,221,921.46, which was converted to dollars equivalent by Akindele.
The money, according to the prosecution, did not form part of Idris’s remuneration, but a motive for accelerating the payment of 13% derivation to nine oil-producing states in the federation through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
EFCC alleged they committed an offence contrary to Section 155 of the Penal Code Act Cap 533 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and punishable under the same section.
Idris and Akindele, who was Technical Assistant to the Accountant-General of the Federation, were accused of committing criminal breach of trust while being entrusted with certain property, to wit N84,390,000,000 between Feb. and Nov. 2021, by dishonestly receiving the said amount from the Federal Government through Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, trading under the name and style of Olusegun Akindele & Co.
According to EFCC, the first and second defendants were alleged to have committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, Akindele was absent in court as of the time the case was called.
Despite pleas by his counsel, S.E. Adino, that his client was on the way to court and that he (Mr Akindele) was always in court to face trial, the judge insisted on revoking the bail.
After listening to Adino, the judge held that when a court grants a defendant bail, such person must reciprocate the gesture by attending court for trial. He added that Mr Akindele had not shown good character and conduct by refusing to attend court.
“The second defendant had abused the terms of his bail”, said the judge.
The judge subsequently revoked his bail and ordered the FCT police commissioner and the EFCC to arrest Akindele and produce him in court on the next adjourned date.
The hearing in the case has been adjourned until February 1, 2024.
