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After admitting a former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his daughter, his son-in-law, and another to bails of N400 million on Thursday, a Federal High Court in Abuja scheduled their trial for June 10, 11, and 20.
Sirika, a one-time senator, denied the alleged corrupt practices involving about N2.7 billion brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Persecondnews reports.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned the minister, who served in the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, along with his daughter Fatima, his son-in-law Jalal Sule Hamma, and a company named Al Buraq Global Investment Limited in connection with the failed Nigerian Air project.
Justice Orji granted the defendants’ bail requests after they pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them.
He also ordered the defendants not to travel outside the country during the trial.
Sirika was docked on a six-count amended criminal charge before Justice Oriji.
The prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had informed the court of an amended charge by the EFCC dated May 7 and filed on May 8, which was not opposed by the counsel to the defendants.
Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), the defendant’s lead counsel, informed the court of Sirika’s bail application dated May 6.
The other defendants similarly moved their bail applications and urged the court to be liberal with the bail conditions.
Jacobs, on his part, told the court that all the defendants were on administrative bail and asked the court to grant bail on the condition that it would make them appear for their trials.
After listening to all the parties, Justice Orji granted the bail application to each of the defendants in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties each.
He added that one of the sureties must own a landed property with valid land titles in like sum within the Federal Capital Territory.
The judge also held that the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means, while he barred the defendants from traveling outside the shores of the country without its permission.
Justice Orji added that failure to fulfill the bail conditions would earn the defendants a stay in a correctional facility.
He ruled: “I admit the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants to bail in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties of like sum.
“One of the sureties must have landed property in the Federal Capital Territory. The defendants must not travel outside the country.
“Any of them who are unable to fulfill the bail conditions will be remanded in the correctional centre.”
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