ABUJA, Nigeria – The Court of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, has granted bail to two former Kaduna State Government officials.
The former Kaduna Government officials are Ja’afaru Ibrahim Sani, a former Commissioner of Environment and Natural Resources in the administration of Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and Lawal Jimi Adebisi, a former Senior Adviser and Counsellor to Governor Nasir El-Rufai between 2015 and 2023.
Both Ja’afaru and Jimi were granted a bail of N10 million each by the CCT, with them also providing two sureties of clear identity.
They were arraigned at the Tribunal on separate nine-count charges of false asset declaration, including omitting and refusing to declare some of their bank accounts and maintaining bank accounts outside Nigeria.
The Chairman of CCT, Danladi Umar, presided over the court sitting on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, with two other judges of the Tribunal: Hon. Agwadza W. Atedze and Hon. Juliet A. Anobor.
PRNigeria reports that the defendants pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to them, with their legal counsels pleading for them to be granted bail on self-recognition.
The defense counsels argued that Lawal Adebisi was served a notice of his appearance in court for trial only this morning (today), while Ja’afaru Sani is not in a stable condition for arraignment in the court as he was recently bereaved.
However, the prosecution counsel objected to the bail request orally, insisting that a written application ought to have been filed at the Tribunal by lawyers of the defendants.
In granting the ex-Kaduna government officials bail on liberal terms, CCT Chairman Danladi Umar, adjourned hearing of the two cases till January 14 and 15 and 20 and 21, 2025 respectively.
He advised the defendants to be in court throughout the period of their trials.
