Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the
Federal High Court today March 14, 2014 refused an application for the
variation of the terms of the bail earlier granted to Aliyu Bello, a former
special assistant to the director of administration (Pension Account) and
Abdullahi Omeiza, a Sokoto-based school teacher.
Justice Ademola had earlier
granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N366, 000,000 (Three Hundred and
Sixty Six Million) each and a surety in like sum. However, they claimed that
they could not fulfil the bail terms, and filed an application for the
variation of the bail conditions.
It will be recalled that the
duo were arraigned in May, 2013 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
on a 5-count charge bordering on criminal conversion and obtaining over One
Billion Naira (N1billion) from the pension account, Office of the Head of the
Civil Service of the Federation by false pretence
One of the charges
read: “That you Aliyu Bello and Abdullahi Omeiza, at various times between 2009
and 2010 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, you obtain by false
pretence and with intent to defraud, from pension account, office of the head
of service of the federation of Nigeria, various sums in the aggregate amount
of 281,623,351.87. (two hundred and eighty one million, six hundred and twenty
three thousand, three hundred and fifty one naira, eighty seven kobo) through
various third parties and thereby committee an offence contrary to section 1(1)
(A) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and
punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act”.
Justice Ademola in refusing the
variation of bail ordered for an accelerated hearing and adjourned the case to
March 20, 2014.
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