FG Re-Arraigns Former Accountant-General, Ahmed Idris, Others Over N109billion Fraud

The Nigerian government on Wednesday re-arraigned the immediate past Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris and three other defendants for allegations bordering on N109billion fraud.

In July, this online medium reported that a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, ordered the remand of Ahmed and three others over 14 charges of N109billion fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had docked Idris alongside three others, Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited, over 14 charges of N109billion fraud.

The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, had prayed the court to grant the prosecution leave to prefer a criminal charge under Section 109 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015) (ACJA) against them.

Justice Adeyemi-Ajayi granted him his prayers.

Count one of the 14 charges filed against Idris and others by the EFCC, reads, “That you, Ahmed Idris, between February and December, 2021 at Abuja, in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, being a public servant by virtue of your position as the Accountant General of the Federation, accepted from Olusegun Akindele, a gratification in the aggregate sum of N15,136,221,921.46, whose sum was converted to the United States dollars by the said Olusegun Akindele and which sum did not form part of your lawful remuneration but as a motive for accelerating the payment of 13% derivation to the nine (9) oil producing States in the Federation, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and you, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 155 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and punishable under the same section.”

After reading the charges, the defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the 14 charges.

The counsel to Idris, Chris Uche, made an oral application for the bail of his client.

But Jacobs opposed the oral bail application, arguing that it must be done in writing.

However, Uche pleaded for the release of his client pending the filing of a written application for his bail.

According to him, the court should consider that the defendant had been on administrative bail granted him by the EFCC.

“Since there is no complaint that they have breached any of the conditions, they should be allowed to continue on that bail,” Uche said.

After hearing all the arguments, Justice Adeyemi-Ajayi said in her ruling; that “the court is not a puppet to dance to the rhythm of public opinion.

“In the interest of justice for all, they are remanded in prison custody,” and adjourned the case till July 27.”

Counsels for other defendants aligned themselves with Uche’s application and submission.

During the trial on Wednesday, counsel for the former AGF, Uche, requested that the defendants be allowed to continue to enjoy the previous release granted to them by the court on July 28, claiming that they had been abiding by their bail conditions.

Counsels for other defendants aligned themselves with Uche’s application and submission.

Prosecuting counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, also told the court that the prosecution was not objecting to the application. He, however, left the decision to the court to exercise its discretion.

In his decision on the motion, Justice Halilu stated that bail was a constitutional privilege of a defendant and that, having previously been granted bail by the court; he was inclined to allow the defendants to continue enjoying the early bail given to them.

He did, however, order that defendants turn in their passports to the court’s registrar and that if the documents were with the prosecution, they should turn them over to the registrar.

Based on the consensus of the prosecution and defence teams, Justice Halilu adjourned the case to November 23 for a hearing.