Police Pension Scam: Perm Sec, 5 Others Get Bail

An Abuja High Court on Tuesday granted bail to the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abubakar Kigo and five others.

Kigo was charged alongside Esai Abubakar, Ahmed Wada, John Yusufu, Veronica Onyegbula and Sani Zirra for alleged complicity in the illegal diversion of N32.8 billion from the Nigeria Police Pension funds.

They were earlier arraigned on a 16-count charge on March 29.

Specifically, the EFCC told the court that the accused perfected the alleged fraud in Abuja between January 2009 and June 2011.

The Commission alleged that the accused conspired and sequentially withdrew monies from the Police pension funds in an account domiciled at First Bank of Nigeria and shared it amongst themselves.

According to the EFCC, the offence borders on conspiracy, fraud and criminal breach of trust.

It said the offence was punishable under Sections 97, 315, 115 (ii), 119 and 309 of the Penal Code.

Delivering ruling on their consolidated bail application, Justice Mohammed Talba, granted the six accused bail in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties in like sum.

Talba said that the sureties must not be below Grade Level 14 in the Federal Civil Service.

The Judge, who said that the sureties must reside in Abuja, also ordered that the international travelling documents of the accused should remain with the EFCC until further notice.

He further held that nothing in the counter-affidavit of the prosecution suggested that the accused at any time resisted any invitation by the EFCC throughout the investigations.

Earlier, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), counsel to Kigo (first accused), prayed the court to grant the accused bail.