THE Senator alleged to have conspired with the outlawed Boko Haram terror group, Mohammed Ali Ndume, was on Monday granted bail by an Abuja Federal High Court in the sum of N25 million
with two sureties in the like sum.
The court, presided by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, held that the prosecution failed to justify why he should not be released to prepare for his trial. The judge said it was not enough to say that an accused would jump bail without producing concrete and material evidence before the court.
Justice Kolawole, however, guided himself with the guidelines handed down by the apex court for trial courts when handling bail application to decide the matter in favour of Ndume. But the judge said that Ndume would not breathe his air of freedom until certain conditions were met. He said Ndume should be remanded in Kuje prisons pending the time he would meet the conditions.
Justice Kolawole said Ndume must produce two sureties, one of who must be a former or serving member of the National Assembly or a national officer of NdumeÕs political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The second surety, the judge said must be a Nigerian, resident in the country and must have a landed property worth above N50m.
Justice Kolawole added that the service of a qualified property or estate valuer should be engaged to value the surety’s property and that the valuation report must form part of the documents to be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR), Litigation of the Court. The court also held that NdumeÕs sureties must submit evidence of their tax payment to the court and that the senator should deposit his travel documents and two copies of his passport photographs with the court registrar.
The travel documents of the accused person, the Judge held, could be released to him by the court on request when there was enough reason for the accused to travel outside the country. Besides, Ndume must submit a handwritten undertaking to the court that he would not interfere with the prosecution witnesses in the matter, adding that the accused person be taken back to Kuje prison in Abuja until it was verified that the terms and conditions for his bail were met. The judge, however, said that the accused could apply for variation of the bail application if necessary. He later adjourned further hearing in the matter till February 2, 2012.
Ndume is facing a four-count charge of terrorism. Specifically, the SSS had accused Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District at the Senate, of concealing information on the operations of the dreaded Boko Haram Islamic sect from law enforcement agencies. Ndume was, for instance, accused of being in possession of the mobile phone number of the convicted former spokesman of the Boko Haram, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga (a.k.a. Al-Zawahiri) without disclosing same to any law enforcement agency, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 7(1) of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 and punishable under the same Act. He was also accused of providing logistics and supplying telephone numbers of some public officers, including the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice to Konduga.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges. But his alleged accomplice had been convicted and sentenced having pleaded guilty to the charge against him.
Senator Ndume’s district yesterday erupted in jubilation following Ndume’s successful bail application. The chairman of Southern Borno Development Association, Yahaya Hassan Gaya, who led one of the jubilating groups, told newsmen that the constituents of the district, which the embattled senator represents, were happy upon hearing the news that our senator has regained freedom; and we know that is a sure step towards his vindication.
The group which later issued a press release where it extolled the qualities of Senator Ndume, said the former Minority Leader in the House of Representatives is always known as a humane, philanthropic and a leader with outstanding qualities. “We wish to stress that Senator Ali Ndume is a very humbly person from a humble background, who we all know as a frontline and celebrated philanthropist to the core who has helped in providing potable water to many rural communities, poverty alleviation materials to the youth and the elderly during his eight-year tenure as member of the House of Representatives and recently as a Senator, he said.