Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, along with his daughter Fatima, have made their appearance at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, where they face arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of fraud and abuse of office.
Arriving at the court premises promptly at 9 am on Thursday, the Sirikas were met with the gravity of the situation as they were confronted with a six-count amended charge amounting to N2.7 billion. As the charges were being read to them, they, along with co-defendant Al-Duraq Investment Limited, entered pleas of not guilty to all counts.
Rotimi Jacobs, representing the EFCC, urged the court to expedite proceedings, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the defendants’ presence to prevent unnecessary delays in the case. Jacobs noted that the defendants had previously failed to comply with bail conditions set by the commission, underscoring the necessity for judicial oversight to uphold accountability.
In response, Kanu Agabi, counsel for Sirika, appealed to the judge for leniency in granting bail, requesting self-recognition for his client. Additionally, Mahmoud Magaji, representing the second defendant, emphasized the circumstances of his client as a nursing mother, advocating for bail on exceptionally liberal grounds.
