By Umar Yusuf

Yola—Justice Nathan Musa of Yola High Court, yesterday, granted bail to Mr. Bala Ngilari, former Adamawa State governor, on health grounds, after he appealed against his recent conviction.

Ngilari was granted N100 million bail with two sureties, who must deposit Certificates of Occupancy of landed property owned in Yola.

Musa said the former governor would enjoy his bail, pending the determination of his appeal.

Justice Musa, on March 6, 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 procurement of 25 vehicles.

The vehicles, which were for commissioners, were purchased at the cost of N167 million. Musa, in his judgment, had declared that due process was not followed in the transaction.

Ngilari, having appealed the sentence, went back to the same court that convicted him, and asked for bail, pending the determination of his appeal.

Justice Musa, after listening to arguments of counsel to Ngilari, Mr. Sam Olugunorisa (SAN) and that of EFCC, Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, in the motion for bail pending appeal, granted Ngilari’s request.

The bail plea was supported by a medical report on Ngilari from Yola Prison, which indicated that the former governor had been under intensive medical management.

The report, signed by Mr. John Bukar, a Deputy Comptroller in Charge of Health, stated that Ngilari had diabetes, hypertension and insomnia.

It added that Ngilari, who had been referred to Canada Specialist Hospital in Dubai, for evaluation and management, had blood pressure that was rising.

Prison boss reacts

Meanwhile, confusion has trailed the bail granted the former governor.

The State Comptroller of Prison, Mr. Peter Tenkwa, said the Prison Command was not aware of the letter purportedly written from the command over Ngilari’s ill-health that necessitated his bail.

This came as the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Silas Sanga, said the state government would investigate the circumstances behind the letter from the Prison Service to the High Court that granted the bail.

Tenkwa disassociated the command from the letter facilitating Ngilari’s bail, noting “the prison facilities was okay; we had enough medical facilities to handle high profile inmates.

“My response and the reports from the Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in charge of Yola Prison was forwarded to the national headquarters. Just last week we received drugs to handle high profile cases.

“To my dismay, this morning (yesterday), I got a call that there was another letter. As the Comptroller of Nigerian Prison, Adamawa Command, I dissociate the state Command from that letter.

“Whosoever wrote that letter is on his own. I am making arrangement to forward the letter to the National Headquarters of Nigerian Prisons.”

Justice Commissioner

For Mr. Sanga, government would constitute criminal investigation to ascertain the authenticity of the letter adding that “government is disturbed about the ruling of the high court granting bail to the former governor.

“The judgment is a legal remedy that is very rare. You must establish special circumstance before granting bail; pending appeal and ill-health is not good enough.

“Before such bail would be granted, the convict must show that the ill-health must be of a contagious nature.

“We disagree with the judgment because the convict did not meet any of the conditions required.”