The Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered that Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed be remanded in the Kuje Prisons over allegations of fraud.
He pleaded not guilty to the six count corruption charge.
The defence counsel,Chris Uche, a Senior advocate of Nigeria, had sought to move the bail application, but the prosecution counsel, Ben Ikani, said he wasn’t ready to go on with the application.
Uche objected that the prosecution had no reason not to go ahead, since he had filed a counter affidavit and a written address to the motion, seeking bail.
In a short ruling, the court upheld the submissions of the defence counsel.
Moving the bail application, Uche prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail on liberal terms and on self recognition.
He added that the EFCC had detained his client for 49 days, in December 2016, and later granted him administrative bail.
Opposing the bail application, counsel for the prosecution, argued that the defendant should be rejected bail, on the grounds that he is a politician and his popularity and can influence the trial.
On the alternative, he should be granted bail on stringent terms.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Abubakar Talba, subsequently ordered that Mohammed be remanded in Kuje prison, till the 12th of may, pending ruling on his bail application.
