A Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Thursday, May 9, 2024, admitted the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, And two others to bail in the sum of N100 million each.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Sirika before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama on a six-count amended charge on Thursday.
The former minister was arraigned alongside his daughter, Fatima; Jalal Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Limited for alleged abuse of office to the tune of N2.7 billion.
According to the charge sheet, Sirika allegedly used his position as the Minister of Aviation to fraudulently award contracts to his daughter, son-in-law, and associates.
One of the charges read: “That you Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation, between April, 2022 and March, 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon TIANAERO NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego, Prof. Gabriel Tilmann is your associate, by using your position to influence the award to them, the Consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extension of same for the sum of N1,326,731,470.97 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.”
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to charges preferred against them.
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Justice Oriji, therefore, granted them bail after the defence counsel argued the defendants’ bail application and the prosecution did not object.
Ruling, the judge said: “Bail is granted to each of the defendants 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in sum of N100 million with two sureties.
“The sureties shall be responsible citizens of the Federal republic of Nigeria, who are ordinarily resident in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Each surety shall have landed property within Abuja Municipal Area council covered by a valued certificate of occupancy issued by the FCT minister.
“The residential addresses of the sureties shall be verified by the Registrar of the court.
“Each surety shall dispose to an affidavit of means.
“The 1st to the 3rd defendants shall not travel out of the country while the charge is pending without the permission of the court.”
Justice Oriji added that if any of the three defendants were unable to fulfill the condition of the bail, he or she would be remanded in the correctional centre.
He thereafter adjourned until June 10 for the commencement of trial.
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