Justice Peter Affen on Monday, June 3, 2019, granted bail in the sum of N20 million to Philomina Chieshe, a clerical officer of Joint Admission and Matriculations Board, JAMB, who claimed that the N35, 480, 000 (Thirty Five Million Four Hundred and Eighty Naira) being JAMB proceeds in her custody was swallowed by a snake in Makurdi, Benue State.
Chieshe is facing trial alongside Samuel Sale Umoru for allegedly misappropriating N35, 480, 000 (Thirty Five Million Four Hundred and Eighty Naira) belonging to the Board.
At the resumed hearing on Monday, counsel to Chieshe, A. Ihejerika, told the court that a motion in notice filed on May 30, 2019 which is for bail application is ready to be moved. .
He further told the court that his client is already standing trial at a lower court and has not absconded from investigation. He relied on Sections 158, 162 and 163 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 to move his bail application.
Justice Affen thereafter granted bail to Chieshe to the tune of N20 million with two sureties in like some. .
The sureties, the Judge ruled, must show proof of ownership of landed properties of same value within FCT. The defendant must also deposit her international passport with the registrar of the court. He further ordered that Chieshe be remanded in Suleja prison until her bail conditions are fulfilled.
In the case of Samuel Umoru, the trial Judge, while ruling on his bail application moved by his counsel, Ihejerika, noted that the counter affidavit filed by the prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, showed that the defendant stopped reporting to EFCC since 2017 for further investigation until he was arrested in May 2019. According to the judge, the attitude portrayed him as one who could jump bail. He therefore asked Ihejerika to file his response to show why his client should be granted bail.
