Court grants bail to Turaki — but must report to EFCC every two weeks

An Abuja high court on Thursday granted bail to Saminu Turaki, former governor of Jigawa state.

Turaki was arrested on July 4 by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja over fraud allegations.

Yusuf Halilu, the presiding judge, granted him bail on the condition that he would submit his travelling documents to the registry of the court.

The court also asked him to sign a register “every two weeks” at the EFCC office.

Halilu said since Turaki had not taken a formal plea before the court, he was inclined to grant him bail until when sitting resumes in September.

The EFCC had arrested Turaki based on a bench warrant issued against him by a federal high court, sitting in Dutse, Jigawa, in 2014.

Turaki approached the court through his counsel, Olusegun Jolaawo, seeking enforcement of his fundamental human rights.

He argued that the length of his stay in EFCC custody had gone beyond the required 48 hours provided by the constitution for a detained person.

Jolaawo further told the court that the former governor was having health challenges.

Opposing the application, counsel to EFCC, Mohammed Abubakar, informed the court that the anti-graft agency in 2007 filed a money laundering charge against Turaki.

According to Abubakar, the ex-governor was arraigned in 2007 before justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja division of the federal high court, before she was transferred to Lagos.

Abubakar said that the transfer of Nyako prompted the reassignment of Turaki before justice Adamu Bello (now retired).

“Turaki had brought an application seeking the transfer of the case to Jigawa, the court ruled in his favour, and transferred the case to Dutse Division of the Federal High Court.

“Since then, the applicant refused to appear in court, a situation which prompted the issuance of bench warrant,” Abubakar said.

He further informed the court that the EFCC had written to the registry of the federal high court in Dutse,‎ asking when the applicant will be brought to face trial.

He added that the court in its response stated that the judge has gone on vacation‎.

Abubakar prayed the court to turn down Turaki’s application.

But Halilu ruled otherwise, ordering Turaki to provide two sureties who must reside within the FCT with verifiable means of livelihood.

The court adjourned the hearing of the substantive motion for enforcement of fundamental human rights until July 20.