An Abuja Federal High Court on Monday granted the convicted pension thief, Mr. John Yusuf, bail in the sum of N10m.
The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission dragged him before the court on January 30 over fresh four
counts of non-disclosure of assets.
Yusuf, who, on January 28, 2013, was
fined N750, 000 for conniving with others to defraud the Police Pension
Office of N27.2bn, had been in custody since his arraignment.
The ruling on the bail application,
initially fixed for March 11, 2013, was cancelled following the strike
embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.
However, Justice Adamu Bello, who
granted Yusuf bail on Monday, noted that the court would impose
conditions that would make it difficult for the pension thief to jump
bail.
He therefore granted him bail in the sum of N10m and a “reliable” surety in like sum.
The court ordered that the surety must be a public servant, who is not below the rank of a director.
The surety must also have a landed
property in the Federal Capital Territory, and the said property must
not be less than the bail sum.
According to Justice Bello, Yusuf must
also deposit his international passport with the court registrar, and he
is not to travel outside the country without first seeking the court’s
permission.
He also ordered that Yusuf must remain in custody until he meets the bail conditions.
Yusuf had slumped in the court after the EFCC opposed his bail application on March 4.
EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN),
had asked the court to deny Yusuf bail, citing his “criminal
antecedents” to justify the argument that he does not deserve bail.
Jacobs said, “Your Lordship will
normally exercise discretion (to grant bail) based on established
principles and the facts before the court.
“What is germane in this case is the criminal antecedents of the accused person.
“The accused person has been convicted
previously for a criminal breach of trust; that is to show that the
criminal record of the accused person does not encourage the exercise of
discretion in his favour, particularly in light of the nature of the
crime.”
The prosecution argued that it was in the interest of safety to keep Yusuf in custody pending the determination of the case.
EFCC also argued that Yusuf might interfere with investigation, or jump bail, if granted bail.
The prosecution further argued that the
public outcry against Yusuf’s light sentence, and the fact that he might
find it difficult to walk the streets freely, might also cause him to
jump bail.
In the new charge, the EFCC accused
Yusuf of contravening the provisions of section 27(3) of the EFCC
(Establishment) Act CAP E1 2004, by allegedly, failing to disclose his
interest in a private company known as SY-A Global Services Limited,
which he owns alongside members of his immediate family, in his assets
declaration form.
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