…To be remanded in prison if they fail to meet bail conditions
A former Aviation Minister, Hadi Abubakar Sirika on Thursday at the High Court of the Federal Capitol Territory, FCT, denied six corruption charges involving N2.7 billion fraud brought against him , her daughter and In-Law by the federal government.
Sirika was arraigned before Justice Sylvanus Oriji along with his daughter, Fatima, his son-in-law Jalal Sule Hamma and a firm – Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
The daughter, son- in-law and the company also pleaded not guilty to the six count charges when read to them.
They were put on trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on behalf of the federal government.
Sirika was said to have while the Minister of Aviation, between Apni 2022 and March, 2023, in Abuja used his position to confer unfair advantage upon TIANAERO NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego PROF. GABRIEL TILMANN is his associate by using his position to influence the award of Consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extens:on of same for the sum of N1,326,731,470.97 to them.
It was further alleged that Sirika as the Minister of Aviation on or about 18th August 2022 in Abuja “did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon AL. BUFAQ GLOBAL INVESTMENT LTD whose alter ego, FATIMA HADI SIRIKA and JALAL SULE HAMMA are your daughter and son-in-law respectively”
He was said to have used his position to influence the award of the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750.00 only to them.
While count 4 reads :”That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer between April, 2022 and March, 2023, in Abuja. within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit the sum of N1,326,731,470.97 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Twenty Six Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy Naira, Ninety seven kobo Only). committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of the Consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extension of same, to and for the benefit of TIANAERO NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego is PROF. GABRIEL TILMANN, your Associate and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.”
Following their plea of not guilty to the six count fraud charges, their lawyers moved the defendants’ respective applications for bail. The prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs,SAN, did not oppose their bail applications but prayed the court to give stringent conditions that would compel them to attend trial.
Consequently, Justice Orji admitted the three defendants to bail in the sum of N100M each and two sureties each in the like sum.
The sureties must be responsible citizens with verifiable home address while one of them must have landed property with certificate of occupancy signed by the FCT Minister.
The Judge ordered that the defendants must not travel out of the country without express permission of the court.
The judge further ordered that if the defendants were unable to perfect the bail conditions, they should be remanded in prison custody till the time of perfection of bail conditions.
The court fixed June 10, 11 and 18 for trial of the defendants.