Alleged N2.2bn Fraud: Ngige To Remain In Kuje Prison Till December 18

Justice Maryam Hassan of the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered that former minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, be kept at Kuje Correctional Centre till December 18.
The ruling on the motion for Ngige’s bail is expected to be delivered on the next adjourned date.

Justice Hassan gave the order yesterday after taking arguments for and against the bail request of the former governor of Anambra State.

Ngige’s lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), pleaded with the judge to admit his client to bail on health grounds.

He said Ngige would not jump bail or interfere with witnesses if released.

However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) opposed the request because “Ngige is a flight risk.”

He told the court that the defendant was granted administrative bail by EFCC and allowed to travel abroad for medical care, but never reported back to the commission.
Besides, he said the international passport released to him to facilitate the trip was never returned by Ngige.

The senior lawyer argued that it was when Ngige was re-arrested that he came up with a claim that he had lost his passport.

Tahir urged the court to dismiss the bail request as frivolous.

After the submissions, Justice Hassan fixed December 18 to rule on the bail request.

Ngige has been slammed with an eight-count charge of corrupt practices.