N30m Fraud: Kaduna Deputy Speaker Gets Bail

A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna yesterday granted bail to Deputy Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Dr Mato Dogara, after being remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for two weeks.

Mato and the six others were charged before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday January 14, for alleged conspiracy and fraud amounting to N30 million.

The court presided by Justice Marcellous Awokenlehin in a bail application ruling, granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N1.5million each.

Awokenlehin granted the accused bail with two sureties each, one of who must be a director in the Federal Civil Service with landed property in Kaduna for the deputy dpeaker, while the rest with assistant director in Kaduna State with similar property in the state.

He said the property must have a Certificate of Occupancy (Cof O) and fixed Feb. 10 and 11 for hearing.

The other accused persons included Kabiru Tahir, former interim committee Chairman of the council; Ahmed Yahya, former Director of Finance and Billy Graham, former Director of Works.

Others were Yushau Aboki, ex-Director of Personnel; Hannatu Iliya, Head of Health, and Eric Alhassan, former acting Chairman.

Counsel to the EFCC, Sa’ad Hannafi had told the court that the accused persons were standing trial on a six-count charge of conspiracy and fraud, contrary to Sections 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act 2004.

Hannafi explained that the accused persons between March 2011 and February 2012 conspired and attempted to defraud the council of over N30 million.