A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday, granted post-conviction bail to a former Abia State Director of Finance and Account, Jones Udeogu, who was convicted of N7.65 billion fraud alongside former governor, Orji Kalu.
Justice Mohammed Liman granted N50 million bail to Udeogu on the grounds of hill health and chronic tuberculosis.
The judge said the disease can be contracted easily by other inmates in the correctional facility.
“I’m of the opinion that this application has disclosed reasonable cause of action that the defendant’s health has greatly deteriorated which cannot be salvaged by the doctor in the correctional services centre,” he said.
“Accordingly this application is meritorious and succeeds. Bail is hereby granted to the applicant in the following terms: Applicant is granted N50 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
“One of the sureties must be a landed property owner within the jurisdiction.”
The judge also ordered that the court’s bailiff must verify the authenticity of the title documents.
Justice Liman, last December, jailed Kalu for 12 years while Udeogu was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
The judge had on December 23, 2019, rejected a similar application by Kalu seeking a post-conviction bail pending the outcome of his appeal against his conviction.
In his own application, Kalu had urged Justice Liman to release him on bail on the grounds that he required to consult his herbalist, on some health challenges, which the medical facilities in the prison could not handle.
Justice Liman declined the application on grounds that it lacked merit.
