‘N19.4bn contract fraud’: Court grants Hadi Sirika bail

A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Garki has granted bail to Hadi Sirika, former aviation minister.

Suleiman Belgore, presiding judge, in his ruling said he found merit in the bail application.

“I find considerable merit in this application. He is a presumably innocent fellow not likely to jump bail. He deserves to be granted bail and I so do,” the judge held.

The judge adopted the terms and conditions of bail granted to the former minister in a similar case marked CR/348/ 2024, where the defendant is standing trial alongside his daughter and son-in-law.

Sylvanus Oriji, the presiding judge in that case, granted bail to the three defendants in the sum of N100 million each, with two sureties in like sum.

The sureties must be “responsible citizens” and resident within the FCT, Oriji stated.

“One of them must have landed properties within the Abuja municipal area council and be covered by a Certificate of Occupancy that must be verifiable,” the court held.

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“They must submit copies of their identity cards and photocopies of their international passports to the court.

“The defendants must also not travel out of the country during the pendency of the case without the permission of the court.”

Belgore in his ruling said: “I see no reason to depart from the bail terms granted to him in that suit.”

The judge also granted bail to the second defendant in the same terms.

THE CASE AGAINST SIRIKA

Sirika was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday alongside Ahmad Abubakar Sirika, his brother; and Enginos Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Abubakar; on a 10-count amended charge dated May 13 and filed on May 14, 2024.

Sirika is alleged to have abused his office by awarding contracts worth N19.4 billion to Enginos Nigeria Limited.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

After the defendants took their plea, Olaleke Atolagbe, prosecution counsel, asked for dates for the prosecution to call its witnesses.

He said the prosecution listed 12 witnesses to be called.

Atolagbe added that three sets of proof of evidence were filed.

THE BAIL HEARING

Moving the bail application for Sirika, Micheal Numa prayed the court to “admit the first defendant applicant on bail in very liberal terms pending the determination of the case”.

He noted that the first defendant has been admitted to bail in a similar case and has fulfilled the conditions.

Numa said the transactions in the cases are the same, but the separation is due to the number of witnesses.

However, Atolagbe quickly interjected, saying: “The charges are different, transactions are different, the defendants are different.”

Moving on with the bail application, Numa said his client has demonstrated that he is not a flight risk.

“He has no reason to evade prosecution of this charge,” he said, adding that Sirika has a 90-year-old mother who depends on him.

The senior lawyer prayed the court to adopt or impose similar bail conditions given to his client in the sister case marked CR/348/ 2024.

Replying, Atolagbe said he was not opposed to the bail application.

“We leave it to the discretion of the court. We are interested in the trial,” he said.

Mahmoud Magaji also moved a bail application for Abubakar and the prosecution did not object.

Sirika was aviation minister in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023.

The EFCC began investigating the alleged contract fraud against Sirika while he was still in office.