Fresh facts emerged Wednesday that the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, may have stood as surety for his son, Mahmud, to travel abroad despite repeated explanations by Tukur that he would not interfere in his son’s trial.

Mahmud is among the suspects who were recently arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly defrauding the Federal Government of billions of naira in the fuel subsidy scam.

There had been pressure for the PDP national chairman to resign his position, following the arraignment of his son and others suspects but he had assured those calling for him to step down that he will not interfere in his son’s trial since he was old enough to defend himself.

However, indication that Tukur may have had a rethink emerged Wednesday, when some directors of OM&Ts, who recently regained their freedom after meeting their bail terms, approached an Ikeja High Court, seeking the permission of the court to travel abroad.

Those who applied for the release of their international passports to enable them travel abroad alongside Tukur’s son are Abdullahi Alao, son of the prominent businessman, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arikesola-Alao, and Mr. Felix Ochonogor.

The three defendants were in July arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo by the EFCC. Their offences bordered on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence, forgery and use of false documents.

In their motion on notice dated August 14, 2012 before a vacation judge, Justice Lateefat Folami, Tukur, Ochonogor and Alao through their counsel, Olaniran Obele, said they needed to travel to Paris and London for business transactions.
Specifically, Tukur, the first applicant, is asking the court to grant him permission to travel abroad to attend a board and committee meetings of which he is a director and also to perform the hajj.

Ochonogor, who is the second applicant also wants to travel to Paris to attend a bond holder meeting, which should have been held last month but was rescheduled to August 27 to enable him attend and explain his present situation before the board.

According to their counsel, the applicants tendered three exhibits comprising Notices of Meetings which they intend to attend both in London and Paris.

Obele told the court that the applicants will not abscond should their applications be granted, adding that the first applicant’s father who is the PDP chairman stood surety for him and he would not want to jeopardise that.

“The second applicant was abroad when they were charged and was called by the first applicant and he came back for his arraignment voluntarily. When they were granted administrative bail, the second defendant travelled to Ukraine and did not abscond but came back for his arraignment,” he said.

Opposing the application, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that Justice Onigbanjo’s order asking the applicants to drop their International Passport has not been reviewed.

He said there was nothing in the exhibits tendered by the applicants that showed or suggested that the meetings they want to attend was rescheduled.

According to him, granting the applicants permission to travel could open escape route as was experienced in the James Ibori’s case.

He, therefore, urged the court not to grant them permission to travel. After listening to arguments, Justice Folami adjourned the case to tomorrow for ruling.

Dawdy: Eni ba bi omo ran lo maa n pon

dedeike: I have found out that there is nothing this govt will do that will please avowed critics

First they crticised GEJ for not having the balls to probe the cabal. when they saw that GEJ had defied that sinister predictions, by setting up the AIG committee, the story changed.
Next they alleged that the AIG committee was another of such committees which will come and go without a report. To their shock, AIG submitted his report.

When the president sought to give protesting markerters a last opportunity to defend themselves through the review panel, the critics went to town shouting that it is a plan by the president to kill the report. They made a mockery of the review committee deriding it as a committee upon committee for a committe by a committee.

At last, the AIG Committee submitted it's final report indicting additional companies excluded in the corruption tainted FACROOK report. The critics changed tunes immediately.
The new song was that the report was not going to be implemented and has been consigned into the dustbin of history. Even when the President had forwarded the list to EFCC for investigation and prosecution, the critics still said it was all drama and a charade.

The EFCC came and announced those indicted including the sons of National leaders of the ruling party. The critics said the anti graft agency was just playing to the gallery and that such calibre of suspects will be hidden from prosecution.

Next we saw EFCC charge the Son's of Ahmadu Ali and TUKUR to court, the story now changed again. This time they're predicting that the accused persons will escape justice. Some have even ascribed unto Jonathan the powers of a judge. In their ignorance and low minds, GEJ will still preside over their trial and convict them hence the continuous abuse of the president over the ongoing court processes.

In this story, we have all read in the last paragrapgh how the EFCC lawyers put up a spirited argument against the grant of bail to Tukur's son. The case has been adjourned till tomorrow for ruling. if the judge decides to rule against EFCC and grant the accused person's bail. The critics will again rush to this forum to blame Jonathan. HABA!
SMH*

redsun: They are travelling to cover and properly dispose their loots abroad.

Ordinary nigerian can be held in kirikiri maximum prison for years for stealing just a loaf of mere.But these monstrous criminals can be let off with pats of the back.

Rogue nation

pembisco:
Haba! Be civil pls...is nairaland ur village?

taharqa: So? He cannot stand as surety(if it is even true cos d word 'may' was used) for his son cos sm of u will shout, abi? So if any of yr relatives is chargd to court, you let him/her to rot in detention even when not yet convictd cos you will not serve as surety cos of wot odas will say? While are we this hypocritic? Wot is dat tin bout been presumd innocent till proven guilty by a competent court of law?.....if they re thieves(and I bliv they are) let d court decide dat

dedeike: I have found out that there is nothing this govt will do that will please avowed critics

First they crticised GEJ for not having the balls to probe the cabal. when they saw that GEJ had defied that sinister predictions, by setting up the AIG committee, the story changed.
Next they alleged that the AIG committee was another of such committees which will come and go without a report. To their shock, AIG submitted his report.

When the president sought to give protesting markerters a last opportunity to defend themselves through the review panel, the critics went to town shouting that it is a plan by the president to kill the report. They made a mockery of the review committee deriding it as a committee upon committee for a committe by a committee.

At last, the AIG Committee submitted it's final report indicting additional companies excluded in the corruption tainted FACROOK report. The critics changed tunes immediately.
The new song was that the report was not going to be implemented and has been consigned into the dustbin of history. Even when the President had forwarded the list to EFCC for investigation and prosecution, the critics still said it was all drama and a charade.

The EFCC came and announced those indicted including the sons of National leaders of the ruling party. The critics said the anti graft agency was just playing to the gallery and that such calibre of suspects will be hidden from prosecution.

Next we saw EFCC charge the Son's of Ahmadu Ali and TUKUR to court, the story now changed again. This time they're predicting that the accused persons will escape justice. Some have even ascribed unto Jonathan the powers of a judge. In their ignorance and low minds, GEJ will still preside over their trial and convict them hence the continuous abuse of the president over the ongoing court processes.

In this story, we have all read in the last paragrapgh how the EFCC lawyers put up a spirited argument against the grant of bail to Tukur's son. The case has been adjourned till tomorrow for ruling. if the judge decides to rule against EFCC and grant the accused person's bail. The critics will again rush to this forum to blame Jonathan. HABA!
SMH*

pembisco:
Haba! Be civil pls...is nairaland ur village?

HNosegbe:

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/fuel-subsidy-scam-tukur-stands-surety-for-son/122963/