Abdulfatah Ahmed, the embattled former governor of Kwara State, has been granted bail in the sum of N50 million by a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State. This decision came after Ahmed pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of alleged mismanagement of public funds amounting to N10 billion.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Ahmed before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Ilorin on Friday. Ahmed had been in EFCC custody since Monday after being initially invited for questioning.
Among the charges leveled against the former governor is the alleged use of N1,610,730,500.00 meant for the security and running cost of the Kwara State Government for chartering private jets for local travels through Travel Messengers Limited during his tenure from 2015 to 2019. Another charge accuses him of converting N411 million meant for state security provision between January and December 2018.
Former Kwara State Commissioner of Finance, Ademola Banu, was named as the second defendant in the case. Banu faces a 10-count charge related to mismanagement of public funds during Ahmed’s administration. The EFCC reported that Banu had jumped bail granted by the commission, leading the court to issue a bench warrant against him.
After considering arguments from both the prosecution and defense counsels, Justice Anyadike granted bail to Ahmed in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties are required to deposit their passports with the court’s registrar, with one of them mandated to possess a landed property in Ilorin, the title documents of which must be deposited with the Registrar of the Federal High Court.
Pending the fulfillment of his bail terms, Ahmed has been ordered to be remanded in EFCC custody. The trial is scheduled to commence on April 29th and 30th, 2024.