Alleged Fraud: Kogi NNPP House of Assembly Candidate Denied Bail

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has denied bail to  Ismaila Atumeyi, a Kogi State House of Assembly candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for Ankpa II Constituency, and two others.

Atumeyi was arrested alongside a former employee of Union Bank, Abdulmalik Salau; and one Ngene Joshua, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly hacking into one of the commercial banks in the country and pulling off a heist of N1.4 billion.

During the bail hearing on Tuesday, December 6, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed the application and instead asked the court to make an order for an accelerated hearing of the matter.

Justice Tijjani Ringim who ruled on the bail application filed by Bolaji Ayorinde, on behalf of his clients who had pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, upheld Oyedepo’s arguments that the defendants were a flight risk as the probability of them jumping bail is high.

Ringim also noted that the magnitude of their offence is such that the defendants can interfere with the law enforcement procedure and run away. The court also noted that extradition procedures from anywhere is a cumbersome process.

The judge said;

“In all, I hold that the application for bail filed and argued by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, lacks merit and it is accordingly dismissed.”

Ringim remanded the defendants in Ikoyi Correctional facility and adjourned the case till January 24, 2023 for trial.