N3.6Bn Fraud: Court Grants Former NDDC Director, Omatsuli, N100M Bail

Matilda Omonaiye/

 

Justice Saliu Seidu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted bail to a former Executive Director on Projects, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Tuoyo Omatsuli and one Francis Momoh in the sum of N100million each.

The defendants are facing trial on a 45-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N3, 645, 000, 000.

Omatsuli and Momoh, who were charged alongside their companies, Don Parker Properties Limited and Building Associates Limited respectively, allegedly showed personal interests in the consultancy contract awarded to Starline Consultancy Services Limited by the NDDC, thereby enriching themselves unlawfully.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

Counsels to the defendants had, at the last sitting on November 8, 2018, applied for bail on behalf of their clients.

Consequently, the Judge had adjourned to November 16, for the hearing of the bail applications.

In his ruling on the applications, Justice Seidu granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N100million each with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be residents in Lagos.

One of the sureties must be a civil servant and a blood relation of the defendants, who must have a landed property in Lagos with the Certificate of Occupancy, C of O.

The other surety must be a Deputy Director in any Ministry in Lagos.

The defendants were ordered to submit their international passports to the court’s registrar.

The Judge also held that the court’s registrar and the prosecutor must be satisfied with the sureties.

The Judge ordered the defendants to be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.

The matter was adjourned to January 8, 2019, for the commencement of trial.

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