An FCT High Court on Thursday remanded a mother of four, Uju Okoye, in prison pending the ruling on her bail application.
Okoye, who was arraigned by the EFCC on a nine- count charge bordering on fraud and forgery pleaded not guilty.
Okoye allegedly collected N32 million from applicants under false pretences with the intention to seek employment for them with NNPC.
Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya, who gave the order, said that she could not give a ruling on the oral application for bail.
She said: “I do not give short rulings and you can see that the court is still full with Counsel, so, we will adjourn the matter for the ruling.
“Also, I will not grant the application for the defendant to continue with the administrative bail, even though the prosecuting Counsel did not object to it.
“That will be against the rule of law.
“Once a defendant is brought before the court, an administrative bail comes to an end; allowing it to continue will mean the defendant is not charged before the court.
“This is what the laws of the land say.”
Ogbonnaya, however, adjourned the matter till Feb.8 for ruling on the bail application and continuation of trial.
Earlier, Counsel to the defendant, Mr Obinna Ekezie, pleaded with the court to grant the defendant bail on the basis that the defendant’s children were minors whose father was out of the country.
He said her continuos remand in prison had brought protracted hardship on the children who had no guidance at the moment.
Ekezie, who urged the court to grant the bail “on liberal terms, relied on sections 158 and 162 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015,
He also appealed to court to allow the administrative bail to continued until the day of ruling. (NAN)
DVK/HS/OFN