Court Grants Ex-Jigawa Governor Saminu Turaki Bail

An FCT High Court on Thursday admitted to bail the former Governor of Jigawa State, Saminu Turaki.

The former governor was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on July 4, 2017, in Abuja at the venue of the public presentation of a book on Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, Channels television reports.

He had been declared wanted by the EFCC for allegedly failing to present himself for trial on corruption charges since 2011.

The trial judge, Justice Yusufu Halilu held on Thursday that even though the re-arrest of the former governor by the EFCC was on the strength of a bench warrant, the essence of bail was to ensure that a person shows up for trial.

He added that since the former governor has not taken a formal plea before the court, the court was inclined to grant him bail until when the court resumes from its annual vacation and Turaki is brought before a competent court of jurisdiction to take his plea.

The bail conditions included that he should deposit all his travel documents with the registry of the court and also produce two reasonable sureties who reside in Abuja.

Mr Turaki was also asked to report to the EFCC every two weeks to sign a register that would be opened for him from Thursday until the court resumes in September.

The bail was granted on the grounds that a suspect is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.