An FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, presided over by Justice Yusuf Halilu, has revoked the bail earlier granted to the former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris and one of the defendants, Geoffrey Olusegun Akindele, in a trial involving an alleged fraudulent diversion of public funds amounting to N109.5 million.
The court took this drastic action following Mr. Akindele’s non-appearance for the continuation of the trial, where he stands as the second defendant alongside Idris, Mohammed Kudu Usman, and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 14-count charge against them, bordering on stealing and the fraudulent diversion of public funds.
Idris was alleged to have accepted a gratification of N15,136,221,921.46, converted to dollars by Akindele, between February and December 2021, while serving as the Accountant-General of the Federation. This sum was purportedly an incentive for accelerating the payment of 13% derivation to nine oil-producing states in the federation through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Furthermore, the EFCC accused Idris and Akindele of committing criminal breach of trust by dishonestly receiving N84,390,000,000 from the Federal Government through Mr. Akindele.
Despite their not guilty pleas, at the recent court appearance, Akindele was conspicuously absent, prompting the presiding judge to revoke his bail. Despite pleas on his behalf, Justice Halilu insisted that bail conditions must be reciprocated with attendance at trial, emphasizing that Akindele’s conduct did not reflect good character.
Consequently, the judge ordered the arrest of Mr. Akindele by the FCT Commissioner of Police and the EFCC, directing them to produce him in court for the next adjourned date—February 1, 2024.
Earlier, the prosecuting counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, had voiced concerns about delayed trial proceedings due to the absence of Idris’ legal representation, labeling it as a ploy to obstruct justice.
As the case unfolds, the spotlight remains firmly fixed on these prominent figures, and the judicial system braces itself for the unleashing of hidden truths and the pursuit of justice.
