Alleged $40m Fraud: Jonathan’s Cousin, Wife Get N500m Bail Each

*Two Sureties in Like Sum with Property in Abuja

By Alex Enumah in Abuja

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Mr. Azibaola Roberts, and his wife, Stella, facing corruption and money laundering charges, were on Wednesday granted bail to the tune of N500m each by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Roberts, together with his wife, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged payment of $40 million into their company, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

 They pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge read before them.

But in a brief ruling, the trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, remanded Mr. Roberts who is the 1st defendant in the suit in Kuje Prison pending the determination of their bail applications.

At the resumption of the case on Wednesday, Justice Dimgba, while delivering his ruling on the bail applications filed by the defendants’ lawyers, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) and Gordy Uche (SAN), held that there was no material evidence before the court that the Roberts and his wife would jump bail or frustrate their trial.

Further details later