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| Federal High Court Headquarters, Abuja |
The British national James Nolan's surety, George Kadiri, has requested extra time to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja and provide justification as to why his bail bond shouldn't be forfeited.
In a move on notice before Justice Ahmed Mohammed, Kadiri, a retired government worker who resides in Gwagwalada, Abuja, made this known. The motion was marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/143/2020.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, on September 28, Justice Mohammed withdrew the N100 million bail that had been given to Mr. Nolan, a director at the Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID).
In a judgment, the judge issued a bench warrant for Nolan, ordering that he be detained by security forces, including Interpol, anywhere he is seen inside or outside of Nigeria, and brought before the court to face his charges.
The judge further ordered that Kadiri, the surety, appear in court on the following adjourned date to give a justification as to why his bail bond shouldn't be forfeited.
Following an oral request by Bala Sanga, counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), that Nolan had jumped bail, Mohammed issued the ruling.
Meanwhile, Kadiri, in the motion dated and filed on Nov 3 by his lawyer, O.J. Aboje, prayed for an order, adjourning the proceedings requiring him to show cause why the bail bond or suretyship he entered for the bail of Nolan may not be forfeited to the Federal Government until the Briton’s whereabouts are confirmed by the EFCC, police or Interpol.
Alternatively, Kadiri prayed for “an order of the court granting to the applicant (Kadiri) more time within which he may appear before the court to show cause why the bail bond he entered for the 2nd defendant (Nolan) may not be forfeited to the Federal Government.”
Giving seven grounds for his application, the surety said the whereabouts of Nolan or what had happened to him (Nolan) is not known to him.
He said Nolan had religiously made himself available in court to face his trial before the proceedings of the court on Sept. 28.
Besides, Kadiri said that Nolan, who is not a Nigerian citizen, still has his travel documents in the custody and control of the registry of the court.
“The 2nd defendant (Nolan) is known to be suffering from a mental condition, i.e. Bipolar Affective Disorder.
“The applicant (Kadiri) stands the risk of losing his only property the subject matter of the bail bond and N100 million he posted as recognisance for the 2nd defendant if the court allows the proceedings for the applicant to show cause to go on only to later discover that the 2nd defendant did not jump bail,” he said.
Kadiri said the operatives of the police, EFCC in conjunction with their international counterpart are still investigating the whereabouts of Nolan or what had happened to him.
“The applicant is yet to receive a definitive report from the Nigeria Police, the EFCC and/or the Interpol on the whereabouts and condition of the 2nd defendant,” he said.
NAN reports that the anti-graft agency had, on Aug. 18, 2020, arraigned Nolan before Justice Mohammed in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/143/2020.
While Lurgi Consult Limited is the 1st defendant, Nolan is the 2nd defendant in the matter.
Nolan, alleged to be at large, is also standing trial in about eight other cases for his involvement in the 9.6 billion dollars controversial contract awarded to P&ID.
NAN reports that while eight of the matters are before FHC in Abuja with six of the cases before Justice Mohammed, one case is before an FCT High Court.
However, the six cases listed on Thursday’s cause list, could not proceed as Justice Mohammed was said to be observing his vacation, having worked as a vacation judge.
The matter has been fixed for Feb. 1 for the hearing of the motion.