A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted bail to each of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Haliru Bello, and his son, Abba Bello, in the sum of N300m with two sureties in like sum.
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As part of the bail conditions, Justice Mohammed ruled that Bello and his son deposit N300 million each for their bail and two sureties and ordered them to deposit their worldwide passports with the court pending the determination of their trial.
For Abba Bello’s bail, the judge ruled that one of his sureties must be a federal civil servant not less that Grade Level 12 and the other must also own property worth N300m in the Federal Capital Territory.
“The issue to be determined is whether the applicants have tendered sufficient evidences to support their bail applications”, he said.
They were in a charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/389/2015, accused of receiving N300m from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Mohammed Dasuki on March 17, 2015 for political campaign under pretext that it was meant for a housing project named “Safe Houses”.
The accused persons are also to deposit their travel documents with the court. The sureties shall deposit their global passports along with two recent passport photographs with the court registrar.
The judge adjourned to February 16 for the commencement of trial.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed said the ex-PDP Chairman should remain under the supervision of the Inspector General of Police like he ordered when he was first arraigned on Tuesday.
The court set the bail sum at N300 million.
Abdulaziz Ibrahim, counsel to the applicants described the bail conditions as tough, but he said his clients will try to meet them.
During the first appearance in court on Tuesday, the former PDP chief who came in a wheelchair and his son entered “a not guilty” plea on a four-count criminal charge, bordering on alleged N300million fraud.
He is a former defence minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan, and was appointed acting national chairman of the PDP in May, 2015.
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Last year, the arraignment of Mohammed at the court was stalled due to ill-health on Wednesday, December, 30. The other surety is also to have a property in Abuja worth N300m. Sources close to Mohammed had told Naij.com that he (Haliru Mohammed) had been sick hence his absence on the said day.
