Hopes of an early release for Mohammed Abacha, who was set free last week by the Supreme Court were dashed this morning when an Abuja High Court failed to sit and entertain his application for bail.

The Supreme Court had last Thursday, in a split decision of five to one, granted the junior Abacha bail in a murder case filed against him and four others at the Ikeja High Court which had refused to grant him bail.

Mohammed Abacha, Major Hamza Al- Mustapha, Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan, CSP Rabo Lawal and Aminu Mohammed are currently standing trial at an Ikeja High Court for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections which was annulled by the former military despot, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.).

But instead of releasing Mohammed, the federal government went to an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Dahiru Saleh and filed a fresh charge of financial crimes against Mohammed and one Bagudu.

Hearing of the bail application fixed for today could, however, not hold as Justice Saleh was absent in court. The judge is said to be on facility tour of courts in the federal capital.

The decision by the apex court to grant Mohammed bail in the murder charge despite refusal by the Appeal Court elicited negative reactions from a cross section of Nigerians who described the Supreme Court judgement as a political decision. Dr. Ore Falomo, chief physician to the late Abiola, described it as such, saying the judiciary has been politicised.

It was also gathered that the decision by the federal government to file a fresh charge against Mohammed may not be unconnected with the refusal of the Abacha family to fulfil its part of the agreement with the federal government concerning the release of stolen public money running into N500 billion.

This shows that the agreement which President Olusegun Obasanjo said his government has reached with the Abacha family over the stolen funds has broken down, a source told P.M.News.

The Supreme Court had earlier stated in its judgement that Mohammed should only be released if he has no other charges filed against him. But now that the federal government has filed a fresh charge, it means he cannot be released.

Henry Ugbolue, P.M. News (Lagos), August 29, 2002