The Sun News On-line

Former Aviation Minister, Professor Babalola Borishade and Mr. Roland Iyayi, the else while Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Managing Agency (NAMA), were on Thursday arraigned before an Abuja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly receiving bribes worth millions of naira for the award of the N6.5 billion Safe Tower Project to an Austrian contractor.

Also arraigned on an 11-count-charge are the Austrian contractor, George Eder, who is facing three separate count charges, and T. A. Dairo, a former Personal Assistant to Borishade.

They have since been remanded in the custody of the EFCC on the orders of Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar, who adjourned proceedings to Friday for the hearing of their oral applications for bail.
Borisahde, Iyayi and the Austrian, it would be recalled, were arraigned before an Abuja Magistrate Court on holding charges before their case was transferred to the High Court by the magistrate for want of jurisdiction.
The suspects, who were brought to court at noon, were led into the dock where the charges were read against them.

Although they collectively entered a plea of not guilty, their bail application could not be heard because of some disagreement by their counsel as to the mode and nature of the application.
While counsel to Borishade and Iyayi, Bankole Akomolafe, from Afe Babalola (SAN) chambers, had opted for an oral application, his colleagues on the other hand pressed for a written application.

After a mild drama, Akinboro Muyiwa and Tunde Nordi, who appeared for Dairo and Eder respectively, withdrew their written bail application and opted for an oral application.
The withdrawal was informed by the position of the Prosecution Counsel, Chile Okoroma, who was bent on having his two clear days to respond to their applications.

It was at this stage that Justice Sadiq Umar adjourned the case for today to take their oral bail applications.
Borishade was specifically accused to have collected Euro 15,000.00 as gratification from Eder for the award of the contract.