A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in trying Mr. Ahmed Idris for alleged complicity in the illegal diversion of public funds to the tune of One Hundred and Nine Billion, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (109.4 billion)
Mr. Idris is charged alongside Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exhange Limited onna 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
Mr. Idris is aid to have diverted the funds between February and December 2021 while being the Accountant General of the Federation which he accepted from Mr. Olusegun Akindele as gratification to accelerate the payment of 13% derivation to the nine oil producing states of the federation.
Presiding Judge Justice A.O Adeyemi Ajayi remanded the ex-AGF after he was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charge and adjourned to October 4, 2022 for commencement of trial. Ubsquently, Justice Adeyemi on July 28, 2022 granted the former GF bail in nthe sum of N5 billion with two sureties and equally granted the 2nd and 3rd defendants bail in the sum of N2billlion each with two sureties that must be directors.
In a recent development,, Ahmed Idris has approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for a plea bargaining.
In another recent development, the trial of the suspended AGF, Amed Idris and three others has been re-assigned to a new Judge by the Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory
Ahmed Idris, his co-defendants: Idris; Godfrey Olusegun Akindele; Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited will noe be standing trial before Justice Yusuf Halilu
The judge on October 4th, 2022, said the case was being mentioned before him for the first time; and therefore adjourned to October 26, 2022 for the re-arraignment of the defendants.
On October26, 2022, the former AGF, Ahmed Idris was arraigned but he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following his “not guilty” plea Justice Halilu , ruling on his bail application by his lawyer, Chris Uche SAN held that bail is a constitutional right of a defendant and ordered the submission of the defendant’s passport to the court registrar.
The Judge then adjourned the case to 23rd November, 2022 for a hearing.
UNRESOLVED PROBES: 43 Million Dollars Cash Found in Empty Apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The EFCC operatives based on information from a whistle bloer stormed an unoccupied apartment in Ikoyi, where they discovered and recovered the following sums: $43 million; 27,800 Pound Sterling and N23.2 million – all in cash.
A panel headed by the former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was set up on the 19th of April, 2017 to probe the funds. During the investigations, it was discovered that the funds belonged to Nigerian Intelligence Agency, NIA, but kept in the private apartment owned by Ambassador Ayodele Oke, the Director General of the NIA and his wife.
Ambassador Ayodele Oke was recommended for sack and prosecution, which was acted on by former Prsident Muhammadu Buhari. The ex-NIA boss and his wife were arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos
Ambassador Ayodele Oke fled the country woth his wife in Fwbruary 2019. He was declared wanted, but since then, all efforts at getting him to answer for the allegations have failed.
Furthermore, there has not been no information in the public domain with the respect to the management and use of the recovered sums.
