By Camillus Eboh

ABUJA, July 30 (Reuters) A Nigerian court granted bail today to Joshua Dariye, a former state governor charged with corruption, even though he has a record of jumping bail and going into hiding to avoid prosecution.

Dariye is one of five ex-governors who were charged with looting public funds earlier this month in an acceleration of anti-corruption efforts, raising hopes that Nigeria's new government was serious about tackling graft.

Dariye, the former governor of Plateau state in central Nigeria who is wanted in Britain on suspicion of money-laundering, was charged with stealing close to 6 million dollars.

The court set stringent bail conditions to prevent him from running away. He has to hand over his travel documents, report weekly to the anti-corruption police and undertake in writing not to obstruct the investigation.

In addition, three separate guarantors who own property in upmarket areas of Abuja have to deposit 100 million naira (788,000 dollars) each to secure Dariye's release.

''The defendant is presumed innocent until it is proven otherwise. Besides, these offences are bailable so he is hereby granted bail,'' said Justice Adebukola Banjoko.

Three other former state governors charged with corruption have also been granted bail. Anti-graft activists say the bail conditions, if enforced, should ensure that they do not abscond.

One ex-governor was convicted last week and released immediately having already served his two-year term.

Oil exporter Nigeria is one of the world's most corrupt countries, according to watchdog Transparency International, and state governors control about half the government's oil income.

President Umaru Yar'Adua, who took office two months ago, has promised zero tolerance for corruption.

Campaigners say the conduct of the five trials will be a test of the new government's resolve.

Dariye's prosecution in a Nigerian court is the latest stage in a cat-and-mouse chase that has lasted years.

He was arrested in September 2004 at a London hotel on suspicion of money laundering. Police recovered 93,000 pounds (188,400 dollars) in cash from his hotel rooms and found he had purchased properties worth millions of pounds even though his legitimate earnings amounted to 40,000 pounds a year.

He was charged with money laundering but he skipped bail and returned to Nigeria, where as a serving governor he had immunity from prosecution.

Humiliated by his escape, then-President Olusegun Obasanjo pressured the Plateau state house of assembly to impeach Dariye, which it did in November 2006 under controversial circumstances.

Having lost his immunity, Dariye went into hiding until the Supreme Court ruled in March that the impeachment was unconstitutional. He resumed office as governor until his tenure ended on May 29.

In April, a British court sentenced a Nigerian woman to three years in jail for laundering 1.4 million pounds of Dariye's stolen funds. British authorities have already returned part of those funds to Nigeria.

REUTERS PD HT1942