Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, has appealed to the Federal High Court in Abuja, to remand him in Kuje Prison instead of the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
He said remanding him in prison would save him from the mental psychological strictures in the custody of the EFCC.
Adoke’s position was made known on Monday by his counsel, Mike Ozekhome.
Adoke was arraigned along with Aliyu Abubakar on fresh money laundering charges by the EFCC.
Abubakar was accused of having paid about N300 million into Adoke’s account in September 2013, an act said to be in violation of Money Laundering Act.
Ozekhome made the plea for his client to be remanded prison when the prosecuting counsel, Bala Sanga, suggested that Adoke should be kept in EFCC custody pending when his bail application would be decided.
Said Ozekhome: “The first defendant voluntarily returned to the country. There is his statement attached to show that he returned to the country voluntarily. He did not run away. We have attached an exhibit to show that he went for his Masters’ study abroad.
“We have deposed to the affidavit about his health conditions. The prosecution themselves brought him to court from the Federal Medical Centre near Jabi in Abuja, this morning. We also plead that he be taken to the Kuje Correction Centre, a euphemism for Kuje prison pending when he meets his bail conditions to avoid the mental psychological strictures he goes through in the custody of the EFCC.
“My lord we pray that he be granted bail in liberal and affordable terms and conditions so that he can take care of himself. The law says, ‘come and stand trial’, it did not say ‘come and sit trial or come and prostate trial. My lord as you can see, the first defendant who is less than 60 is already bent with age.”
