Posted by By Tobi Soniyi, Abuja on
An Abuja High Court on Thursday granted bail to the former Governor of Taraba State , Mr. Jolly Nyame, on very stringent conditions.
An Abuja High Court on Thursday granted bail to the former Governor of Taraba State , Mr. Jolly Nyame, on very stringent conditions.
One of the conditions required the former governor to be reporting to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission once in a week.
The court presided over by Justice Adebunkola Banjoko, also directed him to deposit his international passport with the court registrar to prevent him from leaving the country.
She granted him bail in the sum of N100m with three sureties in like sum.
The three sureties must be resident in the Federal Capital Territory and must produce bank guarantee in the sum being required by the bank.
The court ordered the three sureties to swear to an affidavit of means and also produce a 3-year tax clearance which must be verified by the board of the Federal Inland Revenue Service
In addition, they must have properties in either Maitama, Asokoro or Central District Area, Abuja, and deposit the original certified documents of the landed properties with the court registrar.
The judge noted that EFCC had earlier granted him bail and since all the offences for which he was charged were bailable, he was entitled to bail.
She, however, added that the overriding factor was the accused person's constitutional right to bail, citing the fact that the accused was a prominent Nigerian, who was under medication and who would need the reprieve to prepare adequately for his trial.
She said, 'I must emphasise that bail is free, all it needs is strict compliance."
Justice Banjoko ordered the former governor to submit three passport photographs to the court registrar alongside all his traveling documents and report weekly to the office of the EFCC in order to assist the agency with its investigations.
The court ordered Nyame to write an undertaking not to interfere with the witnesses throughout the trial.
The judge warned that any breach of any of the bail conditions would lead to the revocation of Nyame's bail.
She adjourned the case to October 4, 2007, for the hearing of the substantive trial.
Nyame, is facing a 41-count-charge and was alleged to have stolen over N1.6bn during his tenure as governor of the state between 1999 and 2007.