An Abuja High Court, FCT, on Friday admitted Mike Ozekhome, SAN and Ponfa Useni to bail in the sum of N10million each in the alleged London property fraud.
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation (OAGF) dragged Ozekhome and Ponfa to court on a-12-count charge bordering on forgery.
The Federal Government on Tuesday withdrew the three-count charge preferred against him earlier by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The charge, among others, was an allegation of forging documents, including an international passport and an irrevocable power of attorney to lay claim to a property in London, allegedly procured unlawfully by the late General Jeremiah Useni.
However, Ozekhome and his Ponfa pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
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Tayo Oyetibo SAN, counsel for Ozekhome and F. R. Onoja SAN, for Ponfa, applied for bail on behalf the defendants.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, however, did not oppose the bail application.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Chizoba Oji granted each of them bail in the sum of N10 million with a surety in like sum who is a property owner in the FCT.
Justice Oji ordered them to deposit their international passports with the court.
She noted that since the proceedings took place on Friday, the defendants can go to their houses should they be unable to meet the bail conditions.
Justice Oji added that they must return on Monday to perfect the bail; failure to do that would lead them to remands in prison, and adjourned until March 13 for trial.
They were accused of making a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purported to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim of ownership to a property known as No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2.
The prosecution said the offence is contrary to section 363 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 532, Laws of the FCT 2006, and punishable under section 364 of the same Act. (NAN)
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