Adamawa ex-governor, two others remanded in EFCC custody

Immediate past governor of Adamawa State, Mr. James Bala Ngilari, former secretary to the state government, Mr. Ibrahim Andrew Welye and former Commissioner of Finance Mr. Sanda Jonathan Lamurde lost their plea for bail at the Yola High Court yesterday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed 17 charges against the three, who pleaded not guilty at the court presided over by Justice Nathan Musa.

After the EFCC prosecution counsel, Ahmed Muntaka Ya’akubu, had read all the charges against them, Leonard Zadon, counsel to the first defendant (Ngilari) moved his written application for bail. Counsel to the second and third defendants, Welye and Lamurde also argued in a similar way for his clients.

In his ruling, Justice Musa held that the two defending counsel had ambushed the prosecuting counsel, maintaining the bail cold not be entertained. He said the two counsel elected to tender a written application for the bail, failing to follow the legal requirement of 48 hours to allow the prosecuting counsel study the application.

The presiding judge directed that the three accused persons be remanded in the EFCC custody and the court to continue hearing on the bail application today.