A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State has granted bail to the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, in the sum of N300m with two sureties in like sum. Justice Daniel Osiagor on Tuesday granted bail following no objections from the EFCC.
BASIC FACTS
- Court grants the Speaker of Ogun State Assembly bail following his arraignment by the EFCC.
- The speaker was granted bail to the tune of N300m bond with two sureties.
- The EFCC did not oppose the bail application by the defendant.
WHAT WE KNOW
The speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo was on Tuesday granted bail by a Federal High court sitting in Lagos.
The speaker was granted bail to the tune of N300m and two sureties in like sum as the defendant.
The counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Rotimi Oyedepo who did not oppose the bail, had told the court that he would leave the issue of bail solely within the discretion of the court.
The counsel to the Speaker, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), on his part asked the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms.
Justice Daniel Osiagor, in granting bail to the Speaker, ruled that one of his sureties must not be less than a level 16 officer in the Civil Service while the other must possess landed property within the court`s jurisdiction.
The court granted the second and third defendant bail in the sum of N100m with two sureties also in like sum.
One of their sureties must not be less than a level 14 Officer in the Civil Service. The other must also possess landed property within the court`s jurisdiction.
All the sureties are to possess three-year tax clearance and swear to an affidavit of means.
All defendants are also to deposit their travel documents with the registrar of the court.
Pending when they meet their bail conditions, the defendants will be remanded in the custody of the EFCC for a week after which they will be transferred to the Abeokuta Division of the court for further orders on their remand.
COMMENTARY
Recall that Clariform Newsdesk last week reported the arrest of the Ogun State legislator at the Murtala Mohammed international airport in Lagos.
The EFCC had granted the Speaker an administrative bail at the weekend. However, on Monday, Clariform also reported that the anti-graft agency had slammed an 11 count charge against the Ogun State Assembly speaker.
The EFCC success in her corruption case should be measured in the number of conviction and not just arrest and arraignment. Hence Clariform News desk as always will call for due diligence in prosecuting graft cases.
Nevertheless, it is commendable that the defendant was swiftly arraigned following his arrest by the EFCC. It is suggestive of the fact that the anti-graft agency had concluded its evidence before going ahead with the arrest.
This is an improvement to what is the tradition of the Nigerian police and sometimes also the EFCC, whereby “innocent” citizens are arrested and dumped in detention, even before the commencement of the investigation of the alleged crime.
