Why jailed ex-Adamawa governor, Ngilari was granted bail – Court

A Yola High Court sitting in Adamawa State has granted former governor of the state, Bala Ngilari bail on health grounds after he appealed against his recent conviction.

Justice Nathan Musa yesterday granted the former governor bail in the sum of N100 million with two sureties, who must deposit Certificates of Occupancy of landed property owned in Yola.

The judge ruled that Ngilari would enjoy his bail pending the determination of his appeal.

Justice Musa had in March 2017 sentenced Ngilari to five years in prison, without an option of fine, for violating the Public Procurement Act in the award of contract for the purchase of 25 vehicles during his administration.

The governor, who appealed his conviction, went back to the same court that convicted him, and asked for bail pending the determination of his appeal.

After listening to arguments from Ngilari’s counsel, Sam Olugunorisa, SAN, and that of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abubakar Aliyu, Justice Musa granted Ngilari bail.

Ngilari’s bail application was supported by a medical report from Yola Prison, which stated that he had been under intensive medical care.

According to the medical report signed by a Deputy Comptroller in charge of Health, John Bukar, the former governor had diabetes, hypertension and insomnia.

The report stated that Ngilari, who had been referred to Canada Specialist Hospital in Dubai, for evaluation and management, had blood pressure that was rising between 180/110 MMHG to 190/120 MMHG.

However, the Comptroller of Adamwa Command of the Nigerian Prison Service, NPS, Peter Tenkwa, has rejected the medical report on which Ngilari was granted bail.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Yola, Tenkwa said he was not aware of the letter and had communicated to the prison headquarters.

Tenkwa said, “Nigeria Prison Service, as I stated, knows nothing about this letter; whoever wrote that letter is on his own. I have been directed to query the officers involved.”

The Prison boss in the state noted that all he knew was that he got a letter dated March 23 from Adamawa Ministry of Justice concerning the health facilities in Yola Prison where Ngilari was remanded and that after accessing the facilities, he replied to the letter, informing the ministry that the facilities were okay.

“We have enough medical facilities to handle high profile inmates like Ngilari; we even received some supply of drugs on Friday,” Tenkwa said.