By Lukman Olabiyi

The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted bail in the sum of N250 million to two ex-ministers and chieftains of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Femi Fani-Kayode and Senator Nenadi Usman.
Usman was former minister of Finance and former director of Finance of the PDP Presidential Campaign in 2015 while Fani-Kayode was former Aviation minister and spokesperson for the campaign organisation.
Also charged alongside the accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are Danjuman Yussuf, Olubode Oke and Join Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited. Yussuf also got the same bail condition from the court. They are facing 17-count charge bordering on unlawful retention, use and payment of about N4.9 billion.
The accused allegedly committed the offences between January and March 2015. Fani-Kayode was named in all 17-count and Usman in only four of the charges. In counts one to seven, they were alleged to have unlawfully retained over N3.8 billion which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of stealing and corruption.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty. Delivering his ruling on their bail application, the trial Judge, Justice Muslim Sule Hassan held that there was no evidence that the accused would interfere with trial if granted bail.
He fixed October 19, 20, and 21 for trial.