A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted to a former Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, his daughter, and two others.
The court granted the defendants N100 million bail each over an alleged N2.7 billion fraud.
Sirika pleaded ‘not guilty’ to six counts of fraud filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed against him.
Sirika was arraigned alongside his daughter, Fatima; his son-in-law, Jalal Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Limited before Justice Sylvanus of the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja on Thursday.
The defendants are to provide two sureties with landed properties with valid titles in Abuja who must depose to an affidavit of means.
Justice Oriji held that the defendants must not travel abroad without the court’s permission.
The court ordered that the defendants should be remanded in prison custody should they fail to fulfil their bail conditions.
The trial will commence on June 10, 11 and 20.
Sirika was the aviation minister during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
Sirika and others arrived in the court on Thursday morning for their arraignment over alleged N2.7 billion fraud.
The commission is charging the suspects for alleged N2.7 billion contract fraud uncovered in the aviation ministry under Sirika and during then-President Buhari’s administration.
The EFCC, had in April arrested Hadi Sirika and grilled him about alleged fraudulent contracts he authorised for a company called Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.
In January, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, revealed that the EFCC was also investigating the controversial Nigeria Air deal sealed by Sirika.
The minister said, “The EFCC is investigating that deal. There is a criminal investigation going on. I have called for the report.”
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