Dr. Sani Shaibu Teidi, a prosecution witness in the corruption case brought by the Federal Government against Justice Adeniyi Ademola, had narrated to an FCT High Court how he was denied bail by Justice Ademola.
Teidi is the Director of Finance and Account, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, since 2005.
Justice Ademola was among the seven Justices investigated after the sting operations carried out on October 8 and 9 by the Department of State Services.
He is standing trial alongside his wife, Olabowale, and Joe Aji (SAN) on a 16 count charge of criminal conspiracy to receive gratification in various ways contrary to section 8(1)(a) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
The witness told the court that when he was posted to the Pension Unit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, he introduced the computerisation of the unit and this exposed a lot of loopholes that hitherto existed.
About N36.7 billion meant for payment of pension and gratuity was found missing.
The money, Teidi said, was later traced to individual accounts.
He told the court: “I wrote to the EFCC and the office of the National Security Adviser to the President.
“They set up a committee made up of the Commissioner of Police and others to verify the allegations.
“The committee recommended that those indicted should be charged to Court.
“The amount involved was N20 billion.
“I appeared before the committee as a principal witness and later l requested for the copy of the report.
“After this, I was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and later charged to court in connection with alleged missing of N4.5 billion and N7.6 billion respectively.
“I submitted the details of the account.
“The signatory to the account was Charles Bonnet, Permanent Secretary Establishment.
“By the record. the money was moved from UBA to Union Bank from where the money disappeared.
“Thereafter, the EFCC charged me to court before Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja for unlawful removal of pension funds in the sum of N4.5 billion.
“I was granted bail in the sum of N10 million and one surety in like sum who must have a landed property worth the same amount within the FCT.
:The case was on between 2011 to 2012 and EFCC later came with an application called “proper case management” and the case was withdrawn.
“The prosecutor was Mr. Godwin Obla.
“The case was transferred to Justice Ademola in 2013 and I was charged with Mr. Omofe Odugbesa.
“I was told that my case was coming up before Justice Ademola and that a bench warrant has been issued for my arrest.
“I was remanded, after which my wife was pressured by an agent to pay N25 million or else I will die in the prison.
“I then petitioned Justice Ademola requesting transfer of the case to any other court.
“With pressure from my lawyer, Justice Ademola granted me bail.
“The bail granted by Justice Ademola was N500 million and two sureties.
“The first surety was Chief Okey and the second was Igbelimeta Farm Projects.”
Teidi said one Kingsley O was the one who asked his wife to pay in the N25 million into two separate bank accounts.
He said: “But the bail was never approved by Justice Ademola.
“Chief Okey withdrew his documents, leaving the Farm project.
“Since they could not meet up with the N1 billon, we applied for the variation of the terms of bail.
“But it was turned down.
“When I appealed, it was ordered that the case should be transferred to another court in the Federal High Court, Abuja.”
The copy of the Court of Appeal judgment was tendered in evidence.
Teidi said an interim order was given by Justice Adamu Bello for his properties to be forfeited, while Justice Ademola gave a permanent order for the properties to be forfeited.
The properties were Prifena Hotel, Homo filing station and AY Ded filling station.
During cross examination by Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), counsel to Ademola, the witness said that he was at the National Judicial Council when Justice Ademola gave the order of forfeiture of his property.
Teidi said he bore no grudge to Justice Ademola when he remanded him in prison even when he had perfected the bail.
He said: “The appeal I filed was purely for my freedom and I was not aware of any case of forgery against the person that wanted to stand as a surety for my bail.”
Teidi said since he was granted bailed, he has not reported to the police the person who demanded N25 million for Justice Ademola.
Teidi, when cross examined by Chief Robert Clarke, counsel for Mrs. Ademola, said he was denied of his constitutional right when he was not granted bail.
He said the DSS invited him to make statement over the petition written by some individuals with respect to his incarceration.
The trial judge Justice Jude Okeke, adjourned till February 1 for continuation of hearing.
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