The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Senator Ali Ndume, who has been detained in prison since Monday over his suretyship for former Pension Board boss, Abdulrasheed Maina believed to have jumped bail.
Delivering his ruling on Friday, Justice Okon Abang said he chose to grant the senator bail based on his record of good behaviour before the court, notwithstanding that the other grounds of his bail application failed.
The bail was granted pending the hearing and determination of Ndume’s appeal filed at the Court of Appeal to challenge Monday’s order sending him to jail for his inability to produce the fleeing Maina.
The court had on Monday ordered the senator to produce one surety who must be a resident of Abuja and present evidence of ownership of property anywhere in Abuja.
The presiding Judge ruled that the surety must also depose to an affidavit of means to indicate his readiness to forfeit the bail guaranty should the senator jump bail. He also ordered the senator to deposit his passport with the Chief Registrar of the court.
The Judge also ordered the lawmaker to file an undertaking that he would compile records of appeal and transmit it to the Court of Appeal within 10 days, a way the court wants him to demonstrate his readiness to prosecute his appeal.
