Chris Ngige, a former Minister of Labour and Employment, was charged on Friday in an Abuja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly committing N2.2bn contract fraud.
Justice Maryam Hassan directed that the ex-minister be detained at the Kuje Correctional Centre until the hearing of his bail request, scheduled for Monday, December 14.
Ngige entered a not guilty plea to eight charges related to misuse of office and receiving gifts from contractors linked to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund during his tenure as supervising minister from September 2015 to May 2023.
Following the plea, EFCC lawyer Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) requested a trial date and urged the court to detain the defendant.
He said, “In view of the not guilty plea entered by the defendant, we humbly apply for the trial date. We further pray, my Lord, that the accused person be remanded at the Kuje prison pending the commencement of the full trial.”
The lead defense counsel, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), disagreed with the EFCC’s submission and requested the court to give his client bail on health grounds, adding that the former minister had been in EFCC detention for three days prior to the arraignment.
He said, “The defendant has taken his plea, and your lordship is now in full control of this trial. As I mentioned earlier, the defendant has been in the custody of the EFCC for the past three days, during which the charge was served on him. We can see the charge was filed yesterday and assigned to this court.
“The issue of whether he will be granted bail or not is a right in our Constitution. The defendant is not an unknown person in this country. I don’t think there is anybody in this country who will say they don’t know the defendant. Even from the charge, it was stated that he was a minister of this country.
“I urge your Lordship to grant the defendant bail, and we are ready to grant any requirement your Lordship will put to grant him bail. Even this morning, he mentioned how he needs to go to the hospital. The prosecution is asking for his remand, knowing fully well they don’t have the facility to cater to his health issues at Kuje.”
He contended that the claims were not similar to terrorism or treason charges, which would warrant denying bail.
“It’s not like he ate the ministry’s money or that of NSTIF. The trial will start, and we will see how those contracts were awarded. It’s not a terrorism charge or treason offense,” Ikwueto stated.
He also contested the EFCC’s motion, claiming that the defense was not given enough time to react.
“We were not allowed time to file our own counter-affidavit. If the prosecution will give us time, we will.”
The prosecution, on the other hand, disagreed, pointing out that the defendant’s claimed offense was not minor and should not be minimized by the defense.
“The offenses with which the defendant was charged are by no means minute; they are rather enormous crimes that, if found guilty, will result in him spending nothing less than five years in prison because of the attempt to trivialize the crime and bamboozle the Court,” the prosecution said.
He told the court that Ngige neglected to return his international passport after being allowed to leave for medical treatment in October.
The court adjourned the case to December 14 and ordered Ngige’s remand in Kuje.
