The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted a former governor of Jigawa State, Senator Saminu Turaki, bail.
The former governor was granted bail on Tuesday in the sum of N500m with two sureties in the like sum who must have N250m bail bond each.
The presiding judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, said the sureties should either be a businessman or a civil servant in the level of a director who must have landed property in the Federal Capital Territory.
The judge added that the sureties must deposit their evidence of tax payment at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Justice Dimgba also asked Turaki to deposit his travel documents with the court’s registry and that he must report to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) every first working day of every month.
The former governor, who was rearranged on 32 counts of money laundering and abuse of office, is to be remanded in the Kuje Prison until the bail conditions are perfected.
Justice Dimgba who is a vacation judge adjourned the case until September 19 for the continuation of hearing before Justice Sabi’u Yahuza of the Federal High Court in Dutse, Jigawa State.
The EFCC had arrested Turaki on July 4 at a public function in Abuja, based on a bench warrant issued against him by the Federal High Court sitting in Dutse, Jigawa State in 2014.
He later approached the court through his counsel, Olusegun Jolaawo, seeking the enforcement of his fundamental human rights.
The former governor noted that the length of his stay in the EFCC custody was more than the 48 hours stipulated by the Constitution.
EFCC counsel Mohammed Abubakar swiftly opposed the application, arguing that Turaki was arrested on the strength of a bench warrant, following his refusal to attend his court sessions since his case was transferred from Abuja.
He told the court that the EFCC had complied with the bench warrant and wanted to produce him before the court before it discovered that the judge was already observing his annual vacation.
Giving his ruling on Thursday, July 13, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court granted the applicant bail with two sureties who must be residents of Abuja with verifiable means of livelihood among other conditions.
He further adjourned the hearing of the substantive motion for enforcement of fundamental human rights till July 20.
