Alleged N4.3m fraud: Court Remands provost, One Other, Pending Determination of Bail Application

Appeal court

Alleged N4.3m fraud: Court Remands provost, One Other, Pending Determination of Bail Application

 

 

 

A Jos Federal High Court on Monday, admitted Sunday Etukudo, Provost, Federal School of Medical Laboratory, Vom, Plateau and Henry Oyibo, a Desk Officer with the Budget Office, Ministry of Finance, for one million Naira bail each.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed six counts charge of conspiracy and fraud involving N4. 3 million against the duo in 2014.

Justice Dorcas Agishi, ordered the accused to produce a surety  on GL 17, who must produce their employment letters and last promotion letters including two copies of their passport photographs.

She  adjourned the case until Jan. 8 for hearing.

Earlier,  Mr Solomon Omoh (SAN), Counsel to the first  accused person, told the court that he had an application dated May 30, 2018 and filed the same day for the bail of the accused.

Umoh argued that by virtue of Section 34 of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 2004 (as amended) his client was entitle to bail as the charges being labelled against him are bailable.

Similarly, Mr Martin Atojoko, Counsel to the second accused, also pleaded the court to admit his client to bail on the most liberal terms.

Responding to the bail applications, EFCC Counsel, Mr Tarfa Yahaya, opposed the bail applications on the grounds that the offences under which the accused were being tried were grievous.

Yahaya alleged that the accused conspired and defrauded the school to the tune of N4. 3 million sometimes in 2014 and thereby committed offence contrary to the provisions of Section 1(a) and punishable under section 1(3) of the allied offences Act 2004.

Etukudo and Oyibo, who were arraigned on Nov. 14, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

They were remanded in prison custody pending the determination of their bail application. (NAN)