Justice Maryam Hassan of the FCT High Court in Jabi on Friday granted bail to the former board chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ngozi Olejeme.
The judge also adopted the administrative bail conditions already granted to Olojeme by the prosecuting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC).
The conditions stipulated that Olejeme must provide two assistant directors in a government establishments as sureties.
Justice Hassan also directed that the travel documents of Olejeme should be submitted at the court’s registry.
The court had earlier on Thursday remanded Olejeme in EFCC’s custody, pending his ruling on Friday over the bail application brought by her lawyer, Paul Erokoro, SAN.
The EFCC is prosecuting Olejeme over her alleged involvement in N1billion fraud, criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering.
The Commission also alleged that Olejeme committed offence between 2012 and 2015, when she was the board chairman of the NSITF.
The nine-count charge bordering on mismanagement, giving false statement, taking kickback from contracts and diversion of NSITF funds into personal accounts and companies she had interest in, formed the basis for the defendant’s arraignment.
One of the charge alleged that the funds were diverted through the award of suspicious contracts to proxy companies.
According to the EFCC, the offence is contrary to provisions of sections 8,19 (1) (b) (1), punishable under the Corrupt Practice & other Related Offence Act 2000 and Section 17, (1) (2), 39 of EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.
But Olejeme has pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against her.
The case has been adjourned till November 8 for further hearing of the matter.
