Court Grants 109 Foreigners Linked With Cybercrimes N1bn Bail

The Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted the 109 foreign nationals allegedly involved in cybercrimes to bail in the sum of N1 billion.

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

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

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

They are to also swear to affidavit of means and submit to the court, original copies of documents of their properties which would 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 photographs 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 said he was not unmindful of the fact that the accused persons were foreigners but that the law of the country presume innocent until the contrary has been established.

Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, Justice Akpan ordered that the males among them be remanded at the Kuje Prison while the females are to be kept at the Keffi Prison in Nasarawa State.

The inspector general of police had put the 109 defendants on trial on six counts bothering on cybercrimes allegedly committed in Abuja in 2024.

However, the defendants who are mainly Chinese, Indonesians, Brazilians, Philippines, Vietnamese and Thai nationals pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Justice Akpan fixed February 27 next year for their trial.