EFCC arraigns El-Rufai, granted bail on self-recognition

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, Top Stories Thursday, April 7th, 2011

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was on Thursday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at an Abuja High Court over the re-allocation of a plot of land in the FCT.

The ex-minister was accused of re-allocating to the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the land meant for the construction of transmitting /injection sub-stations by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

Others arraigned with him are a former Director-General of Abuja Geographical Information System, Altine Jibrin and AGIS former General Manager, Ismail Iro.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charges and were thereafter granted bail on liberal terms as pleaded by lawyer to El Rufai, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN).

The prosecution did not oppose the application, citing a good conduct of the accused person at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

While El-Rufai was granted bail on self-recognition, Jibrin and Iro were allowed to go home after depositing N50m bond each.

Justice Abubakar Umar however noted that El-Rufai was once the FCT Minister who had earlier been granted bail by the same EFCC at a FHC and obeyed the terms and conditions of the bail.

The Judge therefore granted him bail on self-recognition and adjourned the case till May 17 for the commencement of trial.

-Punchwp_posts