The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, on Friday got a reprieve as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja granted him bail pending the hearing and determination of his appeal before the Court of Appeal.
The presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, granted Ndume bail on grounds of “good behaviour”.
Ndume was on Monday remanded in prison on the order of the court over his suretyship for Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, who is facing charges bordering on money laundering to a tune of N2 billion.
The former pension boss refused to appear in court to face his trial after being admitted to bail, a development which made the court to order the Ndume’s remand in prison until he produced Maina or paid the sum of N500 million bail bond to the Federation Account.
The senator, through his counsel, Marcel Oru, on Tuesday filed an appeal against the remand order at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. Justice Abang, in his ruling on Friday, admitted Ndume to bail pending the determination of his appeal at the Court of Appeal.
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Ndume, the court held, must produce a surety who must be a responsible person residing in Abuja and must be an owner of landed property in any part of Abuja.
The surety, according to the court, must show evidence of the ownership of the property and affidavit of means, while the senator must deposit his international passport with the registrar of the court.
Justice Abang said Ndume should also write an undertaking that he will transmit the record of the court to the Court of Appeal within 10 days.
He held in the ruling that Ndume has been of good conduct and behaviour before the court at all the times he appeared.
“He has always been respectful to the court anytime he appears. This is a peculiar or unique circumstance,” he said, adding the prosecution has not placed anything before the court to say otherwise.
Justice Abang had on November 18, 2020, revoked the bail he granted Maina, ordered his arrest and directed that his trial would proceed in his absence.
