A man identified as Mr George Kadiri, who stood surety for the British national, James Nolan, has sought for more time within which to appear before a Federal High Court, Abuja.
This is to show cause why his bail bond should not be forfeited.
A retired civil servant living in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Kadiri made this known in a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/143/2020 before Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Justice Mohammed had, on Sept. 28, revoked the N100 million bail granted to Mr Nolan, a director in the Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID).
In a ruling, the judge, issued a bench warrant against Nolan, and ordered that he should be arrested by security agencies, including the Interpol, any where he is sighted within or outside Nigeria and be produced in court to stand his trial.
He also gave directives that the surety, Mr Kadiri, has to appear in court in the next adjourned date to show cause why his bail bond should not be forfeited.
The Judge gave the order following an oral application made by counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bala Sanga, that Nolan had jumped bail.
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 is confirmed by the EFCC, police or Interpol.
Alternatively, he also 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.
The surety, giving seven grounds for his application, said the whereabouts of Nolan or what had happened to him (Nolan) is not known to him.
According to him, Nolan had religiously made himself available in court to face his trial before the proceedings of the court of Sept. 28.
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
Also, Kadiri added that 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.
According to NAN, 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.
Allegedly, Nolan is also standing trial in about eight other cases for his involvement in the 9.6 billion dollars controversial contract awarded to P&ID.
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 the Thursday’s cause list, could not proceed as Justice Mohammed was said to be observing his vacation, having worked as vacation judge.
The matter has been fixed for Feb. 1 for hearing of the motion.
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