By PRNigeria
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has granted bails to two former officials of Kaduna State Government.
The former officials are Ja’afaru Ibrahim Sani, a former commissioner for environment and natural resources in the administration of Governor Nasir el-Rufai; and Lawal Jimi Adebisi, a former senior adviser and counsellor to Governor Nasir el-Rufai between 2015 and 2023.
Both Ja’afaru and Jimi were granted a bail of N10 million each by the CCT.
The tribunal also ordered them to provide two sureties of “clear identity”.
They were arraigned at the tribunal on separate nine-count charges of false assets declaration by omitting and refusing to declare some of their bank accounts, together with them maintaining bank accounts outside Nigeria, among others.
The Chairman of the CCT, Mr. Danladi Umar, presided over the court sitting on Wednesday, with two other judges: Hon. Agwadza W. Atedze and Hon. Juliet A. Anobor.
PRNigeria reports that the defendants pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to them, with their legal counsel pleading for them to be granted bail on self-recognition.
The defence counsel argued that Lawal Adebisi was served the notice of his appearance in court for trial only this morning (Wednesday), while Ja’afaru Sani was not in a stable condition for arraignment in the court as he was bereaved.
However, the prosecution counsel objected to the bail request orally, insisting that a written application ought to have been filed at the tribunal by lawyers of the defendants.
In granting then bail on liberal terms, the CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, adjourned hearing of the two cases till January 14 and 15 and 20 and 21, 2025 respectively.
He advised the defendants to be in court all through the period of their trials.
