BAUCHI FINANCE COMMISSIONER DENIED BAIL IN $9.7 MILLION TERRORISM FINANCING TRIAL
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By: Fasasi Hammad
A Federal High Court in Abuja has denied bail to Yakubu Adamu, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Finance, who is facing trial over alleged terrorism financing totaling $9.7 million.
The court also rejected the bail applications of three co-defendants standing trial alongside Adamu.
Delivering the ruling on Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, stated that the charges against the defendants pose a serious threat to national security and public safety.
He explained that terrorism-related offences undermine social order and that granting pre-trial release could put the public at risk, noting that these factors informed the decision to deny bail.
The judge, however, directed that the case proceed on an expedited hearing schedule.
“I am mindful of the constitutional provision under Section 36(5), which stipulates that every person charged with a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the judge remarked.
“But I must stress that this constitutional provision is not absolute. In considering a bail application, all relevant factors must be weighed,” the judge said.
Citing the 2001 ruling in Bamaiyi vs State, Justice Nwite noted that the Supreme Court emphasized the importance of considering “the nature of the offence, the strength of the evidence, and the severity of the potential punishment upon conviction.”
He added that these factors, including the likelihood of the defendants appearing for trial, are crucial and “should not be overlooked.”
“I cannot improve upon the words of that esteemed jurist. Our criminal justice system contains safeguards for the prosecutor, the accused, and the victim,” Nwite stated.
“In the proper application of the system, it can be said that it serves society’s interest—provided these safeguards are respected—that if there is a strong reason to believe an accused will not abscond or interfere with witnesses, the court is well within its discretion to grant bail pending trial.”
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