Court sets bail for suspended REA’s director arraigned by ICPC

Justice Celestine Obinna of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama in Abuja, has set bail for the suspended Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Netufo Olaniyi Alaba.

The judge set their bail at N50 million naira each, provided they produced a credible surety who is a civil servant not below Grade Level 10 with a verifiable address within the FCT High Court’s jurisdiction.

Alaba was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday alongside the managing director of Hassino Group Limited, Hassan Arivi Saddiq, for their involvement in a N15 million contract fraud.

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They were arraigned on a four and three-count, respectively, bordering on currying favor and conferring unfair advantage through the office, amongst another corruption charge.

The ICPC revealed that Alaba received the sum of N15 million from Saddiq in 2022 while he was serving as the Executive Director of REA to facilitate contract jobs for him at the Federal Ministry of Power.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges, and their counsel appealed to the court to grant them bail.

Their bail application was not opposed by the ICPC’s counsel, Abdulkareem Sulaiman, but the judge was implored to grant bail under stringent conditions.

The case has been adjourned until April 4.