Alleged Cybercrimes: Court Admits 109 Foreigners To N1bn Bail

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday admitted 109 foreign nationals allegedly involved in Cybercrimes to bail in the sum of N1billion.

The defendants were granted bail after their motion for bail was moved by their counsel, Dr James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Presiding Judge, Justice Ekerete Akpan ordered that all the 109 defendants are to produce five sureties in the the sum of N200m each for the five sureties.

The sureties must in addition be residents in Abuja and must each have landed property worth N200m.

They are also to swear to affidavit of means and submit to the court, original copies of documents of their properties which shall be verified by the Registrar of the court.

Justice Akpan further ordered that the accused persons and their five sureties must submit all their original travelling documents with the court registrar and must not travel out of Nigeria throughout the period of their trial.

The defendants and sureties are to also submit two copies of their recent passport photograph with the court.

Justice Akpan agreed with Dr Onoja, that the essence of bail is to allow defendants prepare for defence and that granting such bail is at the discretion of the court.

The Judge held that he was not unmindful that the accused persons are foreigners, but maintained that the law of the country presume innocence until the contrary has been established.

Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, Justice Akpan ordered that the males among the accused persons be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre while the female ones are to be kept at the Keffi Facility in Nasarawa State.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) had dragged the 109 defendants before the court on 6-count charge bothering on Cybercrimes allegedly committed in Abuja.

However, the defendants who are mainly Chinese, Indonesia, Brazil, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand nationals, pleaded not guilty to the the cybercrimes charges.

Meanwhile Justice Akpan has fixed February 27, 2024 for their trial.