George Kadiri, who stood surety for James Nolan, a British national, at the centre of an ongoing $9.6 billion Process and Industrial Development scam trial, has been arrested.
Mr Kadiri, a retired civil servant living in Gwagwalada, Abuja, was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, at the resumed hearing in the matter.
The surety, a traditional chief in Gwagwalada, had, on November 4, 2022, sought additional time to appear in court to show cause why his bail bond should not be forfeited. He made the plea in a motion on notice marked FHC/ABJ/CR/143/2020 filed by his lawyer, O.J. Aboge, before Justice Ahmed Mohammed, before he was elevated to the Court of Appeal.
Mr Mohammed had, on September 28, 2022, revoked the N100 million bail granted to Mr. Nolan, a director at P&ID, following his refusal to appear for trial.
The judge, in the ruling, issued a bench warrant against Mr Nolan and ordered that he be arrested by security agencies, including Interpol, wherever he is sighted within or outside Nigeria, and be made to stand trial.
The judge also directed that the surety appear in court to show cause why his bail bond should not be forfeited. The order followed the application made by EFCC’s lawyer, Bala Sanga, that Mr Nolan had jumped bail.
However, after the case was reassigned to Justice Lifu, Mr Kadiri failed to appear in court, and an order for his arrest was issued.
When the case was called, Mr Sanga stated that the EFCC had brought Mr Kadiri to court in obedience to a court order.
“This charge here is different. I humbly apply for the bail bond should be forfeited,” he said.
Mr Aboge, who appeared for Mr Kadiri, sought a date to address the court regarding the issue of forfeiting the bail bond of N100 million.
“The cases before Justice Egwuatu and the one here is the same. I want to produce argument on the various point raised before the court,” he said.
The lawyer then requested that the court release the surety to him on bail.
Defendants’ lawyer, Paul Erokoro, agreed to take Mr Kadiri on bail.
“Chief Kadiri, the surety, is a traditional chief in Gwagwalada. He will not run away. I stood surety for him at EFCC. This is my first time taking someone on bail,” Mr Erokoro appealed.
The anti-graft agency’s lawyer neither opposed the submission made on bail nor objected to the request for an adjournment.
The judge consequently adjourned the matter until November 5 for further proceedings and a hearing on the issue of forfeiture of the bail bond entered by Mr Kadiri.
“Meanwhile, the surety, Chief Kadiri, is herein released to Chief Paul Erokoro, SAN, on bail to be produced in court until this issue of forfeiture of bail bond is resolved or determined by the court, I so ruled,” said the judge.
(NAN)
