The police yesterday dismissed as a tissue of lies a claim by the Niger Delta Development Commission that its suspended Chairman, Ambassador Sam Edem, did not dip his hands into the commission's treasury for payment of the alleged services rendered to him by a sorcerer.

Edem was said to have paid a total N510million to a sorcerer called Dr Perebakowe Ogah alias Matthew Sonoma from the N800million allegedly stolen by Edem from the commission's account.

The disclosure by the police on the NDDC's claim came on a day the Abuja high court sitting in Wuse, Zone 5 varied the stringent bail condition granted the suspended NDDC boss.

Edem was granted bail more than a week ago in the sum of N100million.

The high court judge, Justice Abimbola Banjoko said that he must not be allowed to breathe his air of freedom until he has produced two sureties who must produce bank guarantees of N50million each.

She said each of the sureties must be resident in Abuja while the accused person himself must deposit his international passport with the chief registrar of the court.

The court also said that Edem must not travel out of the country except with its permission.

But one week after the bail was granted, Edem could not meet the bail condition.

He said it was extremely difficult to get two sureties with bank guarantees of N50million naira each.

He said that all those he contacted were unwilling to tie down their capital pending conclusion of his case.

He begged the court to allow him deposit his certificate of occupancy on one of his properties in Abuja as bail security

Although the police objected to the application for variation of the bail on the ground that Edem was not saying the truth, the court moved in his favour yesterday.

According to Justice Abimbola Banjoko of the Abuja high court, she said that bail was not a penalty for an offence but a security to ensuring attendance of accused persons in court.

The judge also held that there was nothing wrong in court varying its bail condition so far it is done in such a way that the attendance of the accused person in court would still be ensured.

She consequently ordered that all the bail conditions earlier reeled out with the exception of N50million guarantee must be met.

Edem is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy and stealing of about Eight hundred million Naira property of Federal Government of Nigeria.

Though the case was still under investigation, Police told the court that the embattled chairman was charged to court to avoid breaching constitutional rule which forbids detention of accused persons beyond 48 hours before charging him to court.

The police counsel, Lough also informed the court that two other suspects, Dr. Perekambowe Ogah and Kakas Amgbari were still at large and that investigators were closing in on them. On arrest, he said, they would be made to join Edem to account for their actions.

Consequently, Lough pleaded with the court to remand Edem pending the outcome of further investigations and when charges against them would be clearer.

But immediately after the police requested for the remand order, counsel to Edem orally applied for his bail.

He said the charges proposed to be slammed against him were bailable and that there was no proper charge before the court yet.

He invited the court to consider the intendment of section 35 of the 1999 constitution which presumed his client innocent until proven guilty and grant him bail.

Soon after Edem was granted bail, one of his counsel, Mr E Nwoko said his trial was political.

He said it was unfortunate that Edem who was the complainant in the case was turned an accused person.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had suspended Edem for allegedly spending N270 million on ritual.

His suspension was contained in a two-paragraph statement from the Secretary to the government of the Federation, Ambassador Baba-Gana Kingibe.

Vanguard recalls that Edem was interrogated at the Force Headquarters in respect of money spent on ritual and plots to kill the Akwa Ibom state Governor, Godswill Akpabio and the Managing Director of NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe.

Last week, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro had, in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Agberebi Akpoebi, said Edem was arrested by the police over the allegation of paying N510 million out of total contract sum of N800 million to Oga.

The statement noted that Oga, alias Matthew Sonoma, a sorcerer, was to spiritually influence Akpabio to award juicy contracts to him, kill Alaibe whom he believes to be an obstacle to having his way on decision making in the NDDC and to spiritually influence vice-president Goodluck Jonathan to protect his job in case of any eventuality.

"The chairman's arrest is sequel to his being infuriated by the failure of the sorcerer to meet his above request and consequently demanding the refund of all expenses dissipated in the execution of his alleged plans which he put at about N800 million from Dr. Perekambowei who however stood his ground that the contract sum has not been completed.

The police is currently investigating the entire saga, with specific attention at unearthing the source of the large sum of money involved", the statement said.