The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Sen. Ali Ndume who has been in detention since Monday over his suretyship for Abdulrasheed Maina who is believed to have jumped bail.

Justice Okon Abang had, in a ruling Monday, ordered the remand of Ndume following his inability to produce Maina in court to continue his trial in an alleged money laundering case.

The judge had held that Ndume will remain in custody pending when he redeems the N500 million bail bond he signed for Maina, who last appeared in court in September for his trial.

But the Senator on Tuesday filed an appeal against the remand order at the Court of Appeal, along with an application for the bail of the defendant filed before Justice Abang.

The Judge in a ruling on Friday said he chose to grant the senator bail based on his record of good behaviour before the court, notwithstanding that the other grounds of his bail application failed.

He thereafter granted bail to the senator pending the hearing and determination of his appeal filed at the Court of Appeal to challenge Monday’s order sending him to jail for his inability to produce Maina.

He ordered the senator to produce one surety who must be a resident of Abuja and present evidence of ownership of property anywhere in Abuja.

The surety must also depose to an affidavit of means to indicate his readiness to forfeit the bail guaranty should the senator jump bail.

The judge also ordered the senator to deposit his passport with the Chief Registrar of the court and file an undertaking that he would compile records of appeal and transmit it to the Court of Appeal within 10 days.