JUST IN: Senator Ali Ndume Released From Kuje Prison

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, has granted bail to Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno South, who was detained in prison since Monday over his suretyship for Abdulrasheed Maina believed to have jumped bail.

Naija News reports that the presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang in a ruling on Friday, November 27, said he chose to grant the senator bail based on his record of good behaviour before the court, notwithstanding that the other grounds of his bail application failed.

Justice Abang granted bail to Senator Ndume pending the hearing and determination of the Borno South Senator’s appeal filed at the Court of Appeal to challenge Monday’s order sending him to jail for his inability to produce the fleeing Maina.

The terms of the bail granted to Ndume shows that the presiding judge ordered the senator to produce one surety who must be a resident of Abuja and present evidence of ownership of property anywhere in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Justice Abang said the surety must also depose to an affidavit of means to indicate his readiness to forfeit the bail guaranty should the senator jump bail. The judge also ordered the senator to deposit his passport with the Chief Registrar of the court.

Apart from this, Justice Abang also ordered the lawmaker to file an undertaking that he would compile records of appeal and transmit it to the Court of Appeal within 10 days, away the court wants him to demonstrate his readiness to prosecute his appeal.

Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, is being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges of money laundering involving N2bn.

Justice Abang revoked the bail granted him on November 18, 2020, and ordered his arrest, and directed that his trial would proceed in absentia. On Monday, the judge also remanded Senator Ndume in prison until he produced Maina or paid the sum of N500m bail bond to the Federation Account.

On Tuesday, Senator Ndume, through his lawyer, Marcel Oru, filed an appeal against the remand order at the Court of Appeal, along with an application for the bail of the defendant filed before Justice Abang.

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