BREAKING… Court grants Ndume bail, confiscate his passport

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, granted bail to Senator Ali Ndume.

Senator Ali Ndume who represents Borno South Senatorial District was remanded in Kuje Correctional Center over his failure to produce the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, whom he stood surety for.

Ali Ndume was remanded in the Correctional facility since Monday.

The former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina is standing trial for 12-count charge alongside his firm, Common Input Properties & Investment Limited, over their alleged involvement in money laundering, to the tune of N2billion.

Maina had since September 29, refused to attend his trial, a development that led the trial court to remand his surety, Ndume, in a correctional facility.

At the court sitting on Friday, Justice Okon Abang granted an application Ndume filed to be released on bail, pending the determination of his appeal.

Although Justice Okon Abang described the appeal of the lawmaker filed before the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge his remand, as “incompetent”, noting that the trial court was minded to release him on bail considering that “he has been of good behaviour and conduct”.

Justice Abang, however, ordered him to produce one surety, who must be a respectable person that is resident within the Federal Capital Territory and owner of landed property in Abuja.

The court similarly, ordered Ndume to deposit his International Passport to the Chief Registrar of the court pending the determination of his appeal.