The Federal Government on Tuesday opted not to oppose the bail applications filed by a Federal High Court judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, and his wife, Olabowale, who is the Head of Service of Lagos State, following the arraignment of the duo before Justice Jude Okeke of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court in Maitama.
The couple were arraigned on 11 counts including being in possession of firearms without valid license, conspiracy to receive gratification and receiving gratification of N30m from Joe Agi and Associates, between March 11 and March 26, 2015.
Shortly after the arraignment of the defendants, counsel to Justice Ademola, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu SAN, and another lawyer representing the wife of the judge, told court that they had filed their applications for bail.
Responding, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Segun Jegede, said he would not oppose the bail applications but urged the presiding judge to impose terms and conditions that would make the defendants attend their trial.
His words, “In principle, we are not objecting to the applications given the circumstances of this case, the standing of the defendants and the rapidly approaching Christmas.
“However in doing that, I will apply that the court imposes condition that will make the defendants to attend trial.
“They must be made to give undertaking that they will attend trial. They must not interfere with witnesses and they must not destroy evidence.”
Jegede also pleaded with the court to compel the defendants to drop their passports and other travel documents with the registrar of the court.
But the defence lawyers urged the court not to impose bail conditions that were in excess of the bail conditions imposed by the Department of State Service, DSS, after their arrest on October 8, 2016.
Opmerkingen