The duo who were arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are answering to a seven-count criminal charge bordering on alleged $40million contract scam.
Trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba gave the defendants bail in the sum of N500million each, even as he ordered them to produce two sureties in the like sum.
According to the court, the sureties must be owners of landed properties within the Asokoro District of Abuja. It further stressed that the sureties must present evidence of payment of income tax.
However, Justice Dimgba directed that the defendants should be remanded at Kuje Prison, pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
Besides, the court ordered accelerated hearing on the matter, even as the case was adjourned till June 28, July 4 and 5 for commencement of trial. It will be recalled that the court had on Tuesday, remanded Azibaola in prison custody shortly after he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The court however allowed his wife to go home on the basis of an administrative bail the anti-graft agency earlier granted to her. Meanwhile, Justice Dimgba, in his ruling, said he was minded to release the defendants on bail.
The judge stressed that “every citizen charged before a court is presumed innocent until proven guilty”. He said the defendants are under the law, entitled to a definite time and facility to prepare their defence.
“Taking a holistic appraisal of all the evidence before me, I am convinced that admit the defendant to bail. “I believe the need not to make a mockery of the bail system”, Justice Dimgba held.
Meanwhile, the charge against the defendants attract punishment varying from 7 to 14 years imprisonment upon conviction. Specifically, EFCC alleged that the defendants received a $40million contract from the detained former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, retd.
Equally charged to court over the charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud and money laundering, was a company allegedly belonging to the defendants, Oneplus Holding Limited.
Azibaola was arraigned before the high court after he had spent over 80 days in custody of the EFCC. While moving their bail application, counsel to the defendants, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, informed Justice Dimgba that an Abuja High Court had earlier granted his client bail in the sum of N10m.
He said the order was flagrantly disobeyed by the EFCC. Meantime, EFCC, through its lawyer, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, urged the court to refuse the defendants bail, insisting that allegations against them are “very serious”.