The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) bid to arraign the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on new eight-count charge was stalled on Tuesday due to the absence of the suspects.

Sirika and two others were supposed to be arraigned by the EFCC before Justice Suleman Belgore for an offence bordering on financial malfeasance relating to the botched Nigeria Air.

Prosecuting counsel Oluwaleke Atolagbe, on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, informed the court that the defendants were absent, adding that he was informed by their counsel that they were out of Abuja and could not make it to court.

Atolagbe sought an adjournment to enable the defendants to attend court to take their pleas.

N2.7bn fraud: Court grants ex-minister Sirika N100m bail

Justice Belgore, therefore, adjourned until May 23 for the arraignment of Sirika and others.

The scheduled arraignment is coming barely a week after Sirika was arraigned before Justice Sylvanus Oriji, also of the FCT High Court sitting in the Maitama area of Abuja on an alleged N4.135 billion fraud.

The former minister was arraigned alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma, and a company Al Daruq Investment Limited on a six-count charge bordering on contract fraud, corruption, and gratification.

The offence allegedly committed by the former minister and others, according to the prosecution, was contrary to Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, to Section 17 (b) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.

The anti-graft agency said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same sections.

They were subsequently admitted to bail in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties in the sum.

The Star