Nnamdi Emeh, who exposed an organ trafficking ring in Anambra police command, will likely be released on bail on Monday, SaharaReporters has learnt.
However, it was also learnt that the police had finalised plans to rearrest Emeh as soon as he was released on bail.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that 26-year-old Emeh, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and an IT consultant to the Anambra State Police Command had been in detention since March 3, 2023.
He was first detained at the police force headquarters in Abuja on March 3, 2023, after he was arrested in Benin Republic and on April 2, 2023, he was moved to Anambra, Southeast Nigeria.
Emeh was arrested after he revealed shocking details about police extortion, torture, extrajudicial executions, and organ harvesting by senior police officers in Anambra State, which has been known for its notoriety for extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearance of suspects in custody.
After the shocking revelation, Nigerian police authorities announced that it would launch a full-scale investigation into the allegations, but instead of taking the accused police officers into custody, it declared Emeh wanted for sundry offences.
Emeh was suspected to have passed the vital information to a blog.
SaharaReporters had reported that Justice F. O. Riman of the Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State gave stringent bail conditions to Emeh.
The judge fixed May 24, 25, 30 and 31, 2023, for an accelerated hearing on 12 counts brought against Emeh by the Nigeria police.
“Nnamdi Emeh will likely be released on bail on Monday, but the police plan to re-arrest him if he is released,” a security source told SaharaReporters on Friday.
SaharaReporters had reported that the police on May 12, 2023, arraigned Emeh before a Federal High Court in Awka on 12 counts, accusing him of committing crimes that violated several regulations and laws.
After the charge was read, Emeh, however, pleaded not guilty to them.
His lawyer, Mr Justus Ijeoma Esq, moved the bail application already filed for him while the police filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to his bail application.
The judge subsequently reserved the ruling on the bail application to Tuesday, May 16 and remanded him in the custody of the Federal Correction Centre, Awka.
However, when the bail hearing came up later, the trial court admitted Emeh to stringent bail conditions.
Ruling on the application for his bail in charge No: FHC/AWK/C/60/2023 between Inspector General of Police and Nnamdi Emeh, the court held, "Defendant admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum.
"Sureties to have landed property within jurisdiction and evidence of payment of 3 years tax.
"To deposit his International passport with the Crt DCR and get it back on application when the need arises.
SaharaReporters had reported that Emeh, who had been in police custody for weeks, was on April 2, 2023, transferred from the Force Headquarters in Abuja to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Awka.
His transfer to the state came despite public outcry as to why he would be transferred from the Force Headquarters in Abuja to the Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Police, where most of its senior officers were named in the gory details involving atrocities happening at the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit, Awkuzu.
It had been reported that the police alleged in court documents that Emeh was arrested for malicious publications against the police and for electronically hacking into the bank account of a suspect under investigation.
The prosecuting team also accused Emeh of transferring a large sum of money into his bank account from the suspect’s account.
The police pleaded with the court to deny Emeh's bail application, arguing that he would jump bail if released from police custody.
In April, SaharaReporters reported that Emeh had developed strange rashes in police custody and was seriously ill.
SaharaReporters learnt he had been unable to see a doctor.
Emeh's lawyer and family had expressed apprehension that the Anambra State Police Command had a sinister plan for his life.
"Mr Nnamdi Emeh is currently sick and not getting medical attention at the State CID (Criminal Investigation Department) Awka. He is developing strange rashes all over his body.
"I think the police should charge him to court without further delay or release him on bail. His life is apparently in serious danger," the source had said.