Court grants former Adamawa gov, Ngilari, N100m bail

A Yola High Court on Thursday granted bail to a former Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Bala Ngilari, who was arraigned over an alleged N167m fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had accused the former governor of processing contract for the purchase of 25 cars worth N167m without following due process.

Justice Nathan Musa granted Ngillari bail along with his administration’s Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Sanda Lamurde.

Musa granted Ngilari bail in the sum of N100m with a surety who must have a landed property in Yola metropolis.

The court granted Lamurde bail in the sum of N50m with surety who must also possess a landed property in Yola.

The court will on Friday give ruling on a bail application by Ibrahim Welye, who served as the secretary to the state government under Ngilari.

Ngilari, Welye and Lamurde were arraigned before the court on 17 counts of conspiracy and unlawful processing of contract.

They were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which alleged that the offence contravened Section 96 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 97 of the same code.

The EFCC accused the trio of processing contract for purchase of 25 cars worth N167m without following due process.

The commission said that the accused committed the crime in 2015 while in office.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

Ruling on the bail application the judge said that the prosecutor had not provided enough reason why the the former governor and commissioner should not be granted bail.

Musa noted that the crime allegedly committed by Ngilari and Lamurde was bail-able, the EFCC had already concluded investigations in the matter.

He adjourned the case to October 10 for hearing substantive hearing.