Photo: Idris and co-defendants during their arraignment before the court today.
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the remand of a former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, in prison custody over alleged N109 billion fraud.
Periscope International reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arraigned Mr Idris alongside three others before the court on Friday.
The co-defendants are Godfrey Akindele, Mohammed Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
When the 14 charges were read to them before Justice O A. Adeyemi-Ajayi, the defendants all pleaded not guilty to the crime.
Following the defendants’ not guilty pleas, Idris’ lawyer, Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria’(SAN) made an oral application for the bail of his client.
Mr Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, however opposed Uche’s oral bail application, insisting that it must be done in writing.
But Mr Uche pleaded for the release of his client pending the filing of a written application for his bail.
Delivering ruling on the bail application, Justice Adeyemi-Ajayi held 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,” she ordered.
The judge then adjourned the case until July 27 for the hearing of the defendants bail application.
Idris was suspended on May 18 via a letter signed by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, following allegations of multibillion financial fraud against him by the EFCC.
Count one of the charges filed against Mr Idris and others 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 ( Fifteen Billion, One Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Two Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty One Naira and Forty Six Kobo), which 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”.
Count eight reads, “That you, Ahmed Idris, while being the Accountant General of the Federation, and Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, while being the Technical Assistant to the Accountant General of the Federation, between February and November 2021, at Abuja, in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, in such capacity, entrusted with a certain property, to wit: N84,390,000,000(Eighty-Four Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety Million Naira) committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you dishonestly received the said sum from the Federal Government of Nigeria through Godfrey Olusegun Akindele trading under the name and style of Olusegun Akindele & Co., and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.”
