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The Federal High Court in Abuja, today granted former Imo state governor and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Rochas Okorocha a bail in the sum of N500million and ordered him to remain in the custody until he perfect the conditions attached to the bail.
Justice Inyang Ekwo also ordered that Okorocha’s surety must have a property in Abuja not below N500m and the original title documents of the property must be deposited with the court registrar.
It further ordered that the original title document must be taken to Abuja Geographical Information System(AGIS) for verification.
Thereafter, the registrar will swear to an affidavit on the report of his findings.
In addition, Senator Okorocha’s traveling documents must be deposited with the court registrar and that he must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.
That Nigerian Immigration Service(NIS), must be alerted in writing by the Court registrar that the Passport of the former governor is in the custody of the court and should not be allowed to travel out of the country with an order of court.
Justice Ekwo held that although bail is at the discretion of the court, however that circumstances and conduct of the first defendant (Okorocha) will not make the court to admit him to customary bail conditions.
Justice Ekwo finally ordered that Okorocha should remain in the custody of the EFCC until the bail conditions are met.
Meanwhile the court has adjourned trial to November 6,7,8,9,10 and 11respectively.
Okorocha who was arraigned on Monday pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge preferred against him and six others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The ex-governor, who is currently the Senator representing Imo West, had initially declared his intention to contest for presidency in the 2023 general elections.
He was however arrested by operatives of the agency, few hours before his political party, the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, commence thier presidential screening for candidates.
His arrest was predicated on his alleged refusal to make himself available for trial, as the prosecution agency accused him of deliberately evading service of the charge on him.
Senator Okorocha who took his plea before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, was arraigned alongside a chieftain of the All Progressive, APC, Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, and five companies- Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.
The anti-graft agency had in the charge, alleged that the defendants sequentially siphoned funds from the Imo State Government House account and Imo State Joint Local Government Project account, and diverted same into accounts of private companies.
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