An Abuja Federal High Court has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to place a former Minister of Defence, Haliru Bello Mohammed under watch as he undergoes treatment in hospital.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed gave the ruling on Tuesday after hearing the arguments of various counsel in the criminal charge levelled against Mr. Mohammed and his son, Abba.
The former acting PDP chairman and his son are facing a four-count charge of financial misappropriation, levelled against them and their company, BAM projects and Properties Ltd, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Both father and son are accused of taking part in the sharing of about N31 billion meant for arms procurement but which was allegedly shared among PDP members under the watch of former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki ((rtd) who is presently in custody.
Counsel to Abba Mohammed, Ogala Osoka, had made an application asking the court to grant his client bail, pending the determination of the suit.
Mr. Osoka said the application for bail was made on December 29 and filed on December 30.
He said the charges levelled against his client were bailable in nature.
“The condition for bail is the applicant’s appearance in court,” Mr. Osoka said.
He told the court that his client’s health condition is bad, and that he had been in custody for 41 days.
He therefore requested the court to grant him bail, with conditions that were not excessive.
The counsel to the former PDP chair, Abdulazeez Ibrahim, also prayed the court to adopt the application of the first defendant for his client.
He told the court that Mr. Mohammed was undergoing surgery in London, but upon discovery of the charges against him and the conditions attached, decided to fly into the country, and even had to be treated at an Abuja clinic, because his surgery was still fresh.
He said exhibits four attached to his affidavit contained a letter given to him (Mr. Mohammed) by the surgeon attending to his case.
He added that there were also pictures of the PDP chieftain while receiving treatment.
Counsel to the EFCC, Aliyu Yusuf, prayed the court not to grant the bail requested by Mr. Ibrahim, and Mr.Osoka
He argued that the allegations against the defendants were serious, adding that the first defendant, in his application for bail, did not prove that his health conditions cannot be treated in prison custody.
Citing Section 19, sub section 2b of the EFCC Act, Mr. Yusuf urged the court to consider the character of evidence, as provided by the court, and deny Abba Mohammed bail, stressing that he had the likelihood of interfering with the course of justice.
He asked the court to issue an order for accelerated hearing.
After listening to the counsel, Justice Mohammed ruled that Abba Mohammed be remanded in Kuje prison.
He also ruled that since Mr. Haliru Mohammed indicated in his affidavit the status of his health, he should be placed under the care of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, while undergoing treatment in an Abuja hospital
The case was adjourned till Thursday January 7, 2016.
