‘N109bn fraud’: Court revokes bail of former accountant-general’s co-defendant

Yusuf Halilu, judge of a federal capital territory high court in Maitama, has revoked the bail granted to Geoffrey Akindele, one of the defendants, standing trial with Ahmed Idris, former accountant-general of the federation.

In May 2022, Idris was arrested in Kano after he failed to respond to invitations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer questions over the allegation of a N80 billion fraud.

He was later suspended in July 2022 and  arraigned on a 14-count charge alongside Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman, and a firm — Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

The defendants were granted bail in liberal terms.

At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Akindele, who was the technical assistant to Idris, was not in court.

Despite pleas by S.E. Adino, Akindele’s counsel, that his client was on the way to court, the judge insisted on revoking the second defendant’s bail.

The judge said when a court grants a defendant bail, such person must reciprocate the gesture by coming for trial.

He added that, Akindele had clearly not shown good character and conduct by his refusal to attend court.

“The second defendant had abuse the terms of his bail,” the judge held.

Consequently, Halilu revoked the second defendant’s bail and ordered the FCT commissioner of police and the EFCC to arrest Akindele and produce him in court in the next adjourned date.

He then adjourned the case to February 1, 2024 for hearing.

Although, Idris and the other defendants were present, counsels to the former attorney-general and counsel to the company were not in court.

Earlier, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, EFCC counsel, had informed the court that he received a letter from counsel to Idris but did not receive any from the counsel for Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

Atolagbe said despite the fact that there were competent lawyers in the office of Idris’ lawyer, none of them announced appearance for the former accountant-general of the federation.

“This is not fair on the prosecution. It is definitely a ploy to delay trial,” Atolagbe said.