Court grants N5m bail to Blessing Lere-Adams, Works Ministry director arraigned for money laundering

Justice M.S. Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday granted N5 million bail to Mrs. Adiobome Blessing Lere-Adams, a director in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, following her arraignment on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering and corruption.

Mrs. Lere-Adams was docked by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) under charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/551/2025. She pleaded not guilty to all the counts preferred against her.

In his ruling, Justice Liman admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum. The court ordered that the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and provide a verifiable address, two passport photographs for verification by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), a sworn affidavit, and three years’ tax clearance certificates for inspection.

At the request of defence counsel, Barrister Nduka, and without objection from the prosecution, the court granted the defendant 72 hours to perfect the bail conditions, warning that failure to comply within the stipulated period would result in revocation of the bail.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to April 20, 2026, for hearing.

The ICPC had told the court that the alleged offences occurred between August 2022 and January 2024 in the Federal Capital Territory. The prosecution team, led by Mrs. Onwuka Ngozi, accused the director of receiving and retaining funds from a subordinate, Mr. Henry David, which she allegedly knew, or ought reasonably to have known, were proceeds of corruption.

According to the charge, Mrs. Lere-Adams was said to have directly taken possession of N2 million transferred into her First Bank account by the subordinate on or about August 18, 2022. The anti-graft agency further alleged that she transferred parts of the funds to her husband, Mr. Olujimi Lere-Adams, and into a Fidelity Bank account belonging to her son, Jafe Joel Lere-Adams.

The offences are said to contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Penal Code (Northern Nigeria) Federal Provisions Act, and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

With the arraignment concluded and bail granted, the case now proceeds to trial, where the court will determine the merit of the allegations against the senior ministry official.