ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-A former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, was on Friday brought before an Abuja High Court in Gwarinpa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged N2.2bn contract fraud.
Justice Maryam Hassan directed that the ex-minister be detained at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application, scheduled for Monday, December 14.
Ngige entered a plea of not guilty to eight charges relating to abuse of office and the acceptance of gifts from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund while he served as its supervising minister between September 2015 and May 2023.
READ ALSO:Ngige Faces Eight-Count Fraud Charge Friday
Following his plea, EFCC counsel Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant.
He said, “In view of the not guilty plea entered by the defendant, we humbly apply for the trial date. We further pray my Lord that the accused person be remanded at the Kuje prison pending the commencement of the full trial.”
However, the defence lead counsel, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), opposed the EFCC’s request and appealed to the court to release his client on bail due to health concerns, pointing out that the former minister had already spent three days in EFCC custody before the arraignment.
He said, “The defendant has taken his plea, and your lordship is now in full control of this trial. As I mentioned earlier, the defendant has been in the custody of the EFCC for the past three days, during which the charge was served on him. We can see the charge was filed yesterday and assigned to this Court.”
He argued that the allegations were not comparable to offences such as terrorism or treason that would warrant denial of bail.
“It’s not like he ate the ministry’s money or that of NSTIF. The trial will start, and we will see how those contracts were awarded. It’s not a terrorism charge or treason offence,” Ikwueto stated.
He further contested the EFCC’s position, saying the defence had not been granted time to respond.
“We were not allowed time to file our own counter-affidavit. If the prosecution will give us time, we will.”
The prosecution, however, refuted his claim, stressing that the charges against the defendant were serious and should not be minimised.
“The offences with which the defendant was charged are by no means minute; they are rather enormous crimes that if found guilty, he will spend nothing less than five years in prison because of the attempt to trivialise the crime and bamboozle the Court,” the prosecution said.
They also informed the court that Ngige failed to return his international passport after being allowed to travel for medical treatment in October.
The court adjourned the case to December 14 and ordered Ngige’s remand in Kuje.