After 35 days in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS), the federal high court sitting in Abuja Wednesday granted bail to detained associates of Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.
When the bail application was moved by counsel to the application, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, it was not objected by the DSS counsel.
The activist’s aides numbering 12 were subsequently granted bail by Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the resumed hearing of their bail applications in Abuja.
Although the operatives of Department of State Security (DSS) again barred Journalists from covering proceedings at the trial of associates to Igboho, after the intervention of one of the senior officers, judiciary correspondents in their numbers maneuvered their ways into the courtroom to carry out their duties.
While delivering his ruling on the matter after about three hours recess, Justice Egwuatu held that the applicants (Detainees) are entitled to bail in line with the Administration Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) Section 91 and Section 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended).
According to the Judge, the court has the right to admit them to bail.
While the eight detained applicants were granted bail in the sum of N5 million each in like sum, the remaining four were also granted bail in the sum of N10 million each.
The Judge further pronounced that they remained in the DSS facility until their bail condition is perfected.
The Judge held: “Having considered the principles of the laws, I accordingly grant bail to the first eight applicants in the sum of N5million, while the other four are also granted bail in the sum of N10 million each.
“The sureties must be resident in Abuja with a verifiable means of identification, must be a resident of Abuja, a federal civil servant not below level 12, must be a property owner with evidence of three years evidence of tax payment.
“In Addition, the surety the court held further must deposit his international passport with the court registrar.”
On the argument on whether they should be held at a correctional facility pending the perfection of their bail applications, the Judge said: “They shall remain in the DSS facility until the bail conditions are met.
“I have no evidence before me that they are not safe in the DSS custody,’’ Justice Egwuatu held.
In a related development, an Oyo High Court sitting in Ibadan has granted an order restraining the Attorney General of the Federation(AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), Department of State Security Service (DSS), and its Oyo State director from arresting or harassing the embattled Yoruba nation agitator Chief Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho).
The court, which is presided over by Justice Ladiran Akintola, also restrained the respondents from blocking Igboho’s bank accounts.
The order followed an ex-parte motion filed and moved by his lawyer Chief Yomi Aliu (SAN) at the mentioning of the substantive suit seeking a declaration of invasion of his house as illegal on Wednesday.
The embattled Yoruba nation campaigner wants the court to declare the invasion of his house illegal, saying it was an infringement on his fundamental human rights.
The suit, which is an originating motion, is also seeking N500 billion damages for the invasion.
The ex-parte motion, dated July 22, was filed pursuant to Order 4, Rules 3,4, and 6 of the fundamental rights (enforcement procedure) Rules 2009.
None of the three respondents was either in attendance or represented in court.
