A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted bail to Dr Sani Shuaibu, charged with diverting N439 million pension funds.
Shuaibu, a former Director of Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, was charged along with four other companies.
Delivering ruling on the bail application, Justice Adamu Bello held that the bail was granted at the discretion of the court.
“The court hereby holds that the accused applicant is granted bail on N50 million in a like sum.
“The bail is largely predicated on an undertaken written by the accused not to threaten or cause any harm to the prosecution witnesses or even to the prosecution counsel.
“The bail can only become effective with the presentation of a surety of not less than a director in the Federal Civil Service with a landed property in the FCT.
“The title deeds of the property must be surrendered to the registrar of the court.
“On no account will the accused person travel out of the country without the permission of the court.
“Lastly, the privileges of this bail shall be revoked if a proven allegation of threat on the lives of the prosecution witnesses and the prosecution counsel is brought before the court.
“This, however, would mean that the accused shall be compelled to stand trial from prison custody, no matter how long this may take,’’ the judge said.
While arguing the bail application on May 7, Mr Sunday Ameh (SAN), counsel to the accused, said bail would give his client the ample time to prepare his defence.
Chief Godwin Obla, counsel to the prosecution, EFCC, had submitted that it was in the interest of justice to discard the application as the allegations against the accused were “weighty’’.
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