A man, Mr Ahmed Echoda, standing trial before an Upper Area court sitting in Gudu in Abuja for allegedly giving false information that led to the raiding of the house of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, was on Monday granted a N500, 000 bail by the court.
Chief Magistrate Umar Kagarko handling the matter also asked the defendant to provide one surety who must be of reasonable character.
According to the Chief Magistrate, the surety must have a verifiable address in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Chief Magistrate Kagarko, after granting the application for the bail of the defendant, adjourned the matter till July 20, 2017 for hearing.
Echoda was on May 30, 2017 remanded at the Kuje prison in Abuja on the orders of the court for allegedly giving false information that led to the raiding of the house of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
The defendant was earlier arraigned by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on one-count charge of criminal conspiracy and giving false information to mislead public servant contrary to 97(1) and 140 of penal code law.
The one-count charge reads: “That you, Ahmed Echoda, age 50 of No 44 Living Truth Street Masaka, Nassarawa State and one Maiwada Adamu now at large did conspire within yourselves by informing the office of the IGP at Guzepe Area of FCT Abuja, that house No 10 Gamges street Maitama FCT Abuja occupied by Oliver Ogbenyi is being maintained and used for criminal activities including keeping of arms and ammunition, unfortunately after the police carried out diligence execution of the search warrant, no incriminating items were found there. You, by such action, misled the police and hereby committed the above offences.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the one count charge when it was read to him in court.
The defendant who was given a chance to speak in court said the police has not proven to him how he passed false information to them, adding that he, “neither passed a written nor verbal information to the police”.
Following an application for his bail by his counsel, Peter Ugwuoke, which was not opposed by the prosecution counsel, David Taiwo, Chief Magistrate Kagarko on Monday admitted the defendant to bail, in the sum of N500, 000 and one surety, who must be of good character.