Court strikes out bail application in alleged N8bn currency scam

Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Thursday struck out the bail application filed by one Emmanuel Ordia, the fifth accused person in the N8 billion CBN currency scam.

Ayo-Emmanuel held that he was not satisfied with the reasons adduced for the bail application and would therefore not exercise his discretion in its favour.

“The medical certificate indicates that the applicant has access to medical facilities at all times and that he is not in any danger.

“Furthermore, the applicant is in the custody of Nigeria Prisons Service which to the best of my knowledge has medical personnel.

“It is the responsibility of the medical personnel to discharge their duty as expected; it behoves on them to inform the court about the state of health of the applicant. I do not have any report before me.

“I enjoin both the prosecution and defence counsel to do everything possible to conclude the trial in time,” the judge said.

He adjourned the case till March 13 for a continuation of trial.

It would be recalled that Mr Bayo Adegbite, the counsel to Ordia, had filed a bail application on behalf of his client on grounds of ill health Ordia, Patience Okoro, Johnson Abolabi, Ibrahim Salami and Kolawole Babalola have been standing trial since 2005 over multiple charges.

The charges bordered on conspiracy and re-circulation of mutilated currency at the Ibadan branch of CBN.