The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned former accountant-general of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The anti-graft agency arraigned him on a 14-count charge that bordered on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N109.4 billion.
Other defendants in the case are Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman, Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and asked for bail, pending the determination of the case against them.
However, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi remanded Idris and other defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kuje till Wednesday when their bail applications will be heard.
Chris Uche, counsel for the ex-AGF, had prayed for bail, assuring the court that his client would be available to face the charges against him.
Uche stressed that the EFCC had earlier granted administrative bail to Idris who he said flew into Abuja from Kano immediately he was notified about the arraignment.
“In a matter of this nature that the defendants have been on bail, and since there is no complaint that they violated the administrative bail conditions, I pray that they be allowed to continue to enjoy same,” Uche said.
But EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs argued that allowing the defendants to go home after their arraignment, without hearing and determination of their formal bail applications, would send a wrong signal to the society.
