Lagos Businessman Charged with Bribing Policemen Gets N500m Bail

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A Lagos businessman, Dr. Akintoye Akindele charged for offering N50 million bribe to men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has been admitted to bail in the sum of N500 million.

Justice Hamza Muazu of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja, admitted the defendant to bail shortly after his arraignment on a one count charge to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Inspector General of Police, had on Tuesday, arraigned Akindele, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Duport Midstream Company Ltd, on a one count charge bordering on alleged bribery.

However, when the charge was read against him, he pleaded not guilty and his lawyers, Henry Eni-otu and Pelumi Olajengbesi moved application for his bail, adding that the defendant was in need of urgent medical attention.

Although, the police through its counsel, Simon Lough, had requested that the defendant be kept in their custody to enable them conclude investigation, the request was not granted by the court.

Justice Muazu in his ruling on the bail application agreed with the defendants lawyer, that the offence, with which the defendant was charged, is ordinarily bailable.

He proceeded to admit the defendant to bail in the sun of N500 million, with two sureties in like sum.

Conditions attached to the bail were that the sureties must own landed property within the jurisdiction of the court and should be a resident of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In addition, the defendant must deposit his travel documents and his international passport with the court.

Justice Muazu, who is sitting as the court’s vacation judge, noted that it would be impossible to conclude the case during the vacation, which will soon end.

He added that the case file would be returned to the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court for reassignment to a regular court after the vacation.

Akindele, who has been in police custody for weeks, was arraigned on Tuesday on a one-count charge, marked: CR/595/2023 filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The police in the charge alleged that the defendant had offered the sum of N150 million to some police officials in order to suppress investigations in respect of a petition against him by Summit Oil International Limited.

The charge indicated that Akindele made a part payment of N50 million to a team of investigators led by one Ibrahim Ezekiel Sini, of the Federal Investigation Bureau.

In the summit Oil petition, the defendant was alleged to have conspired with others and diverted the sum of $5, 636, 397 and another N73, 543, 764 belonging to the company.

The charge read: “That you Akintoye Akindele, male (49 years), MD/CEO of Duport Midstream Company Limited of D2 Mambilla Close Osborne Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos between 5th and 9th August 2023 in Abuja, while being investigated by SP Ibrahim Ezekiel Sini and his team on a petition submitted to the Inspector General of Police FIB by Summit Oil International Limited on allegation of diversion of the sum of $5,636,397.01 and N73,543,763.25, you offered gratification of N150,000,000.00 and made part payment of N50,000,000.00 to SP Ibrahim Sini, a public servant in circumstance and for the purpose of allowing you to escape abroad and to write a report in your favour.”

The prosecution claimed the alleged offence is punishable under Section 118 of the Penal Code Law.