Alleged N5.1bn fraud: Court grants Jonathan’s former aide N500m bail

Relief came the way of a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to  former President Goodluck Jonathan ,  Mr Warpamo Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, as he was granted bail of N500 million by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Monday.

Dudafa and his co-accused, Iwejo Joseph Nna, are standing trial for an alleged N5.1billion fraud brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They were both arraigned before the court last week but were subsequently, remanded in prison following the order of the trial Judge, Justice Mohammed Idris.

While Dudafa was granted a N500 million bail with three sureties in like sum, Nna, who is also known as Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah, was granted N250 million with two sureties in the like sum.

Justice Idris also ordered that the sureties who  are to stand for the two accused persons, must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court, while the accused persons must deposit their international passports with the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR).

The judge ,however, ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of the bail conditions, while the case was adjourned   till July 4 and 5.

The two accused persons were arraigned before the court by the anti-graft agency on 23 count-charge, bordering on alleged N5.1 billion fraud,  to which they had both pleaded not guilty to all the  charges.

In the charge signed by Rotimi Oyedepo,  EFCC alleged that Dudafa, and Joseph Nna, had between June 11, 2013 and June 2015, used different companies to fraudulently steal  to  commit the alleged offences.

Some of the companies allegedly used in committing the offences are; Seagate Property Development and  Investment Limited, Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited; Iwejuo Joseph Nna and Pluto LUTO Property and Investment Company Limited; Iwejuo Joseph Nna and Rotate Interlink Services Limited.