Appeal Court Denies Bail to Ex-FCTA Director Jailed Over N319m Fraud

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has rejected an application for bail pending appeal filed by a former Director of Finance and Administration with the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Garba Mohammed Dukku, who is serving a 24-year prison sentence for diverting about N319 million in public funds.

The appellate court held that Dukku failed to establish exceptional circumstances that would justify his release while his appeal against the conviction is being determined.

The decision was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and signed by its Head of Media and Public Communications, J. Okor Odey.

According to the anti-graft agency, Dukku had asked the Court of Appeal to admit him to bail pending the hearing of his appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which convicted him on corruption and money laundering charges.

In its ruling, the appellate court held that the application lacked sufficient grounds to warrant the exercise of its discretion in granting bail pending appeal.

The court, however, ordered an accelerated hearing of the substantive appeal to ensure the case is determined without unnecessary delay.

Dukku was convicted by the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, on six counts bordering on corruption and money laundering in suit number **FHC/ABJ/CR/608/2022**.

During the trial, the ICPC established that between 2012 and 2013, the former FCTA official fraudulently diverted **N318.25 million** belonging to the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council into his personal Fidelity Bank account in several transactions.

The Commission told the court that the funds, transferred in tranches of **N56.25 million, N71 million, N53 million, N54 million, N46 million and N36.3 million**, were later moved to Bureau de Change operators for unauthorised purposes.

Although Dukku maintained during the trial that he handed the money to his superiors, the trial court rejected the defence, holding that no credible evidence was presented to support the claim.

Justice Omotosho subsequently found him guilty on all six counts and sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment on each count, bringing the cumulative sentence to 24 years.

The court also imposed an option of fine amounting to five times the value of the funds involved in each count, bringing the total fine to about **N1.6 billion**.

Reacting to the latest ruling, the ICPC welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision, describing it as a reaffirmation of the legal principle that bail pending appeal can only be granted where exceptional and compelling circumstances have been established.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to the prosecution of corruption cases and the protection of public resources from diversion and abuse.