A former Minister of State for Power, Muhammed Wakil, was on Monday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged bribery.
Wakil was arraigned alongside two companies, Corozzeria Nigeria Limited and Pikat Properties Nigeria Limited, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice S. B. Belgore on two counts of corruption and abuse of office.
The EFCC, in a statement on Monday, alleged that the former minister received the sum of N148m as gratification from Bestworth Insurance Brokers Limited out of the N27,188,232,208 approved as outstanding insurance premium and claims of deceased and incapacitated employees of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their plea, the EFCC counsel, Benjamin Manji, urged the court to give a trial date and remand the minister in a correctional centre pending trial.
The defendants’ counsel, B. C. Igwilo (SAN), urged the court to grant the minister bail.
The EFCC counsel opposed the oral bail application and urged the court to order the defendant to file the bail application formally.
Justice Belgore adjourned the matter till March 31, 2021, for the determination of the bail application and remanded the defendant in EFCC custody.
