N1.4bn fraud: NBA president Usoro pleads not guilty, gets N250m bail

Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President Paul Usoro has pleaded not guilty to charges of N1.4billion fraud preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

Mr Usoro was also admitted to N250million bail and one surety in like sum on Tuesday.

EFCC preferred 10 count charges against the accused before Justice Muslim Hassan.

Akwa Ibom State governor Emmanuel Udom was named in the charge but is currently constitutionally immune from prosecution.

Others charged are: Akwa Ibom State commissioner for finance, Nsikan Nkan; Accountant-General of Akwa Ibom State, Mfon Udomah; Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko and Margaret Ukpe.

The aforementioned accused persons are said to be “at large.”

EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo and lead defence counsel Wole Olanipekun were also in court on Tuesday.

After admitting Usoro to bail, the court added that the surety must be owner of a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, or a civil servant not lower than the rank of a director in the Federal or state civil service.

The court ordered that the accused’s passport also be deposited with the court’s registry which will be verified if genuine.

Usoro was also handed over to a counsel of the Inner Bar E.B. Effiong pending the perfection of his bail terms.

Justice Hassan adjourned the case until February 5, March 5, and March 6, 2019 for trial.

The EFCC alleged that the accused committed the offence on May 14, 2016.