The Federal Government on Tuesday decided not to oppose the bail applications filed by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja and his wife, Olabowale, who is the Head of Service of Lagos State, following the arraignment of the duo before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama.
The couple was arraigned before Justice Jude Okeke on 11 counts including being in possession of firearms without a 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, Justice Ademola’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), and another lawyer representing the wife of the judge informed the court that they had filed their applications for bail.
In response, 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.
He said, “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 the condition that will make the defendants attend trial.
“They must be made to give an undertaking that they will attend their trial. They must not interfere with witnesses, and they must not destroy evidence.”
Also, Jegede urged the court to compel the defendants to drop their passports and other travel documents with the registrar of the court.
But the defense lawyers urged the court not to impose bail conditions that were more than the bail conditions imposed by the Department of State Service after their arrest on October 8, 2016.
The judge is about to rule on the bail conditions.
Only the first four counts which border on the alleged N30m gratification involve the wife of the judge.
The rest of the seven counts were specifically preferred against the judge alone.
UPDATE: The court granted bail to Justice Ademola and his wife with N50m as bail bond and also an order asking the couple to drop their international passports with the court registrar.
