N2.9bn Fraud: Court Grants APC Presidential Aspirant Okorocha Bail

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to a former governor of Imo State and Presidential aspirant, Rochas Okorocha in the sum of N500million and one surety in like sum.

The former governor is being tried on a 17-count charge to the tune of N2.9 billion filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was accused of conspiring with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and five companies to steal from public coffers, although he has since denied any wrongdoing.

Senator Rochas Okorocha was brought to the Federal High Court in Abuja by EFCC operatives on May 30, 2022.

When the proceedings began, the lawmaker took a stand in the dock after which the charges were read to him.

In his response, he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The second defendant in the suit, Anyim Chinenye, as well as the five companies also pleaded not guilty to the charges.

After taking their plea, Okorocha’s lawyer, Mr Okey Amaechi, prayed the court to release his client on bail, pending the determination of the case against him.

Amaechi also drew the attention of the court to the fact that his client was roughly arrested before the screening of the presidential aspirants of the APC.

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But the EFCC, through its lawyer, Mr Gbolahan Latona, told the court that Okorocha raised some issues in his bail application that would require its response.

Justice Ekwo, thereafter, adjourned the matter until Tuesday (today) to hear the bail applications of the defendants and ordered that they should remain in EFCC custody, pending the determination of their bail applications.

But today, the court has granted bail to a former governor Rochas Okorocha in the sum of N500million and one surety in like sum.

The court says the surety should be a citizen of Nigeria, own a landed property in Abuja, and original property documents should be deposited with the court registry.

It added that the registrar of the court will verify the said property, and the defendant is not to travel outside the jurisdiction of the court, without the court’s permission.

The EFCC is to deposit the defendant’s passport with the court registry.

The registrar of the court is to inform the Nigerian Immigration service, that the passport of the defendant is with the court.

Mr Okorocha is billed to attend APC Presidential screening today at the Transcorp Hotels, Abuja.

Newsflash Nigeria had reported that Okorocha was picked up by ant—graft agency that stormed his residence in the Maitama area of Abuja last Tuesday.

The team, who insisted that Okorocha must submit himself for arrest or honour a long-standing invitation to their office, later barricaded the residence of the presidential aspirant.

Following a series of drama at the scene, gunshots were heard as the anti-graft agency’s team broke into Okorocha’s house and left with the presidential aspirant to their office.

On Friday last week, he lost his request to the court to be admitted on bail, pending the determination of a suit he had instituted against the Federal Government.

The lawmaker had predicated his bail request on the ground that he was a presidential aspirant, stressing that his political ambition would be jeopardised unless he was granted bail.

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