Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has been granted bail by the FCT High Court in Garki on Thursday in the sum of N100 million and requires two sureties
The court also stipulated that one of the sureties must possess a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
Sirika is not permitted to travel outside Nigeria without the court’s permission.
The former minister 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.
According to EFCC, 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.
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 assured the court that Sirika would not jump bail, citing his long-standing reputation as a public servant and his willingness to face trial.
Justice Hassan Babangida granted the application, noting that the court considered the defendant’s long-standing reputation and the fact that he has been attending court proceedings regularly.
The case was adjourned to June 28, 2024, for the commencement of trial. Sirika served as Minister of Aviation from 2015 to 2019 under President Muhammadu Buhari’s first term administration.
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Before nkp?
Yinmu