By  Simon Ebegbulem
A Benin High Court yesterday granted bail to the former Secretary to the Edo State Government, Dr Simon Imuekheme and three others.

They are being tried for allegedly spending monies allocated for specific projects on other projects contrary to section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

The matter was brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charge number B/EFCC/1/14 before Justice Esther Edigin.

While arguing for Imuekheme’s bail, counsel to the accused, Omoruyi Omonuwa (SAN), stressed that the ICPC act under which the offence was committed was a bailable one, therefore prayed the court to grant bail to his client.
He further countered the application by counsel to the EFCC, Mr Larry Aso which opposed the bail application, asserting that his argument does not hold water since his client has always made himself available in court since the commencement of the case.

“It is the duty of my client to be present in court during the trial and right from when the investigations commenced on the case until the accused was arraigned, he had enjoyed an administrative bail. There is no evidence that he did not present himself while on administrative bail. The man will turn up for trial because he is a man of high integrity,” Omonuwa declared.

The bail application was adopted by the Counsels to the immediate past chairman of the SUBEB, Mr Joseph Emoabino, Secretary of the board, Mr David Igbinoba and Director of finance and accounting, Mr Aghator Efe.

However, Justice Edigin granted the four accused persons bail with the sum of N3million each and adjourned the case till June 23, 2014.