TheCable

Ahmed Mohammed, justice of the federal high court, Abuja, has granted bail in the sum N100m to Gabriel Suswam, former Benue state governor.

The former governor was also asked to present two sureties, who must be senior civil servants, as a condition for his bail.

He was remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until he fulfilled the conditions for his bail.

The anti-graft agency had arraigned Suswam before the court for an alleged N3.1bn fraud.

He pleaded not guilty to the nine-count charge of money laundering and fraud preferred against him by the agency.

The former governor and Omodachi Okolobia, his former finance commissioner, were alleged to have diverted proceeds of the sale of shares of the Benue state government and Benue Investment and Property Company Limited.

According to the EFCC, the offence is punishable under Section 15 (3) of the money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012.

Last Wednesday, the anti-graft agency had failed to arraign Suswam before as scheduled, but on Tuesday it brought him before the court to face the charges.