A former Managing Director of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, NIRSAL, Aliyu Abdulhameed, was arraigned on Wednesday at a Federal High Court in Abuja on allegations of document forgery.
Abdulhameed was arraigned alongside Babangida Abdullahi on a 10-count charge before Justice Inyang Ekwo.
They were, however, admitted to terms of administrative bail earlier granted to them by the police.
Justice Ekwo had, on February 10, fixed March 13 for the defendants to take their plea.
Upon the resumed hearing, prosecuting counsel Celestine Odo told the court that the matter was scheduled for the arraignment of the duo and that he was ready to proceed.
Odo applied that the charge be read to the defendants to take their plea.
After the defendants pleaded not guilty to the 10 counts, the police lawyer sought a date for their trial. He also urged the court to remand Abdulhameed and Abdullahi at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Odo, who hinted that five witnesses had been listed in the charge, said that the prosecution would not call more than three witnesses to establish their case against the defendants.
He said the witnesses would equally tender documentary evidence.
The defendants’ lawyer, Akin Olujimi, however, applied for their bail, saying he had earlier filed the defendants’ bail applications on February 24 and that the prosecution had not filed any counter affidavit in opposition.
The judge, who admitted them to bail, adjourned the matter until May 20 for the commencement of a trial that will last until May 23.
Ex-NIRSAL MD arraigned over alleged forgery
