Lawyer to the former Air
Chief, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), who was making an argument for liberal bail
conditions for his client yesterday before Justice Mohammed Idris of the
Federal High Court in Lagos, said Amosu had returned “collossal sums” to the
federal government.
The immediate past Chief of
Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (rtd), charged with laundering N21billion,
has returned N2.6billion to the Federal Government, it was learnt yesterday.
The “colossal sums” made
reference to by Chief Ayorinde, is to the tune of N2.6billion, it was learnt.
The Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Amosu along with a former Chief of Accounts
and Budgeting at the Nigeria Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun, and a
former Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo.
The companies arraigned
with them are Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil And Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing
and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites BDC, Fonds and Pricey Ltd, Deegee Oil
and Gas Ltd, Timsegg Investment Ltd and Solomon Health Care Ltd.
EFCC accused them of
converting N21billion from the Nigeria Air Force around March 5, 2014 in Lagos
and concealing “proceeds of crime”, thereby committing an offence contrary to
Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012,
which is punishable under Section 17(a).
Arguing the bail
application, Ayorinde said his client, who pleaded not guilty, had always been
cooperative with the prosecution since his arrest in January and would not jump
bail.
“He has remitted colossal
sums of money to the Federal Government, although not in admittance of guilt,
but out of cooperation with security agencies.
“My application is that bail
be granted to the first defendant on self-recognisance. Let those terms be
liberal. He has been reporting to the EFCC, sometimes twice a week. The first
defendant will make himself available for trial”, the Senior Advocate of
Nigeria said.
Prosecuting counsel, Rotimi
Oyedepo, did not oppose the bail application by Ayorinde and the other lawyers
to the co-accused persons, but urged the court to make the terms stringent.
Justice Idris granted them
N500 million bail each, with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties, he noted,
must be property owners within the court’s jurisdiction.
Title documents of the
properties must be submitted to the court’s registrar, which must be verified
by the EFCC. The sureties must also swear to an affidavit of means which must
be verified by the EFCC, the court ruled.
Justice Idris also directed
the defendants to submit their travel passport to the court’s Deputy Chief
Registrar (DCR).
While ordering Amosu and
Gbadebo’s remand in prison custody, the court ordered that Adigun be kept in
EFCC custody due to his health condition pending when he perfects his bail
terms.
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