Justice Mariam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwarinpa has directed that former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, should continue to enjoy the administrative bail earlier granted to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
While affirming the bail, the court imposed additional conditions, ordering Ngige to produce a surety who must be a director in the employment of the Federal Government and must also own landed property.
The court further ruled that the surety is to submit documents relating to the landed property, alongside travel documents, which are to be deposited with the court pending the conclusion of the process for retrieving Ngige’s passport.
Ngige had initially been granted bail by the EFCC on self-recognition, with the anti-graft agency directing him to submit his travel documents and provide one surety.
Before the intervention of the court, the former Anambra State governor had been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Ngige is currently facing an eight-count charge bordering on alleged corrupt practices involving the sum of ₦2.2 billion.
According to the charge dated October 31 and filed on December 9 by a prosecution team led by Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), Ngige allegedly committed the offences during his tenure as Minister of Labour under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against him.
What you should know
Chris Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State and Minister of Labour, is standing trial over alleged corruption amounting to ₦2.2bn.
Although the EFCC granted him administrative bail, the FCT High Court has now imposed stricter conditions, including the provision of a senior government official as surety with verifiable landed property.
The case relates to actions allegedly taken during his time in office under the Buhari administration, and Ngige has denied all allegations. The matter is still before the court.
