Alleged ₦10.9bn fraud: Court orders remand of former Accountant-General Idris, others

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and three others in the Kuje Correctional Facility, Channels TV reported.

Idris and his co-defendants were arraigned before Justice Adeyemi Ajayi Friday over alleged stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109.4 billion.

The ex-AGF, Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited, had earlier pleaded not guilty to the 14-count charge levelled against them by the EFCC.

It was gathered that the former AGF counsel, Chris Uche prayed the court to allow the defendant to continue enjoying the administrative bail granted to him by the antigraft agency.

He noted that the EFCC has the defendant’s international passport, and as such they should be allowed to come back on Monday to take their bail application.

Uche also asked the court to permit the defendants to come back on Monday and not remand them at any correctional facility.

However, the EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, said the administrative bail ended once the charge was filed.

Delivering her ruling, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi held that the court is not a puppet to dance to the rhythm of public opinions.

The former AGF counsel, Channels TV reported, interjected the judge, pleaded that due to the porous security nature of the Kuje correctional facility, his client should be remanded in the EFCC custody.

Justice Ajayi however, ordered him to sit down, stressing that nobody can overturn her orders before her.

She subsequently adjourned proceedings till the 27th of July for hearing of bail applications.