Court Grants N500m Bail to Lagos Businessman Accused of Offering N50m Bribe to Policemen

Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has ruled to grant bail in the amount of N500 million to Akintoye Akindele, a Lagos-based businessman.

Akindele faced allegations of tendering a N50 million bribe to officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).Having spent weeks in police custody, Akindele was arraigned on Tuesday, August 22, on a single-count charge labeled: CR/595/2023, filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).According to the prosecution, Akindele is accused of offering a bribe to the police officers who were investigating a case of funds diversion brought against him, in a bid to facilitate his escape abroad.

Upon the charge being read to him, Akindele pleaded not guilty to the prosecution’s claims. Subsequently, his legal representative applied for bail on his behalf.

The charge states:” Between 5th and 9th August 2023 in Abuja, you, Akintoye Akindele, male (49 years), MD/CEO of Duport Midstream Company Limited of D2 Mambilla Close Osborne Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, while being investigated by SP Ibrahim Ezekiel Sini and his team on a petition submitted to the Inspector General of Police FIB by Summit Oil International Limited on allegations of diversion of the sum of $5,636,397.01 and N73,543,763.25, you offered gratification of N150,000,000.00 and made part payment of N50,000,000.00 to SP Ibrahim Sini, a public servant, in circumstances and for the purpose of allowing you to escape abroad and to write a report in your favour.”After considering the bail application, Justice Muazu dismissed the prosecution’s request to continue detaining the defendant for the completion of the police investigation. The judge concurred with the defense counsel, Henry Eni-Otu, that the nature of the charged offense is typically eligible for bail.

Consequently, Akindele was granted bail in the sum of N500 million, requiring two sureties to guarantee the amount.

Justice Muazu, presiding as the vacation judge, stipulated that one of the sureties must possess real estate within the court’s jurisdiction and reside in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Furthermore, the defendant was instructed to submit his international passport to the court.