Topic: Court orders NERC boss, 6 others to remain In EFCC custody till 28 April.

Court orders NERC boss, 6 others to remain In EFCC custody till 28 April.[/color]



Abuja--An Abuja high court sitting in Maitama, yesterday, ordered that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) boss, Mr Ransome Owan alongside six other top officials of the commission currently before it over a 197 criminal count charge of corruption preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, remain in the custody of the anti-graft agency until 28 April when their application for bail would be determined.

The court yesterday reserved ruling on the bail applications separately filed and moved by counsels to each of the accused persons yesterday, after EFCC vehemently opposed their release.

The EFCC maintained that its ongoing investigations into the alleged N5billion fraud in the NERC would be truncated if the accused persons were granted bail as they yesterday pleaded.

Counsel to the agency, Mr.Godwin Obla, further told the court yesterday that as soon as investigations are concluded on the matter, that there is the possibility that the Commission may add additional charges to the ones the embattled NERC officials are currently facing.

He further alleged that the EFCC had uncovered some subterranean moves by the accused persons to return to their offices, which he said would be curtailed if they remain in detention.

However, the defendants counsels, where unanimous in denouncing the objections of the EFCC to their bail applications, maintaining that the accused persons are respectable Nigerians who are also eager to clear their names from the offences they are alleged to have committed.

They pleaded with the court to grant them bail on liberal terms, to enable them prepare for defence against the 197 count charges.

According to Mr.Layi Babatunde (SAN) who also pleaded with the court to allow his client Dr.Abdulrazaq M. Alimi, the 4th defendant in the case, to travel to Lagos today for a medical check-up, “the EFCC is yet to adduce any valid reason why the accused persons should not be granted bail and the allegation that they are scheming to return to their positions, has no validity considering that a sole administrator has already been appointed to take over their duties” he added.

He further contended that if the accused persons had wanted to jump bail, that they would have done so as they had previously been on bail before their arraignment on 22 April 09.

Even though the trial judge in the case, Justice Salisu Garba ordered that the EFCC accompany the 4th accused person Dr.Abdulrazaq M. Alimi, to attend his medical check-up in Lagos today, he however ordered that the others remain in custody until 28 April when their bail application would be considered.

It would be recalled that the NERC officials, who are Mr. Ransome Owan, Mal. Abdurahmanb Ado, Prof. Onwuameze C. Iloje, Dr. Abdulrazaq M. Alimi, Engr. Mohammed B.G Bunu, Engr. Abimbora Odubiyi and Dr. Grace Eyoma were arraigned by the EFCC before an Abuja high court on 22 April over their alledged perpetration of N5 billion fraud in the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, upon which the anti-graft agency preferred a whooping 197 criminal count charges against them.

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