17th January, 2011
Oyo State High Court sitting in Ring Road, Ibadan today struck out the bail application filed before it seeking the release of Nigeria’s Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin on his alleged involvement in the murder of the factional leader of the Oyo State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport, NURTW, Alhaji Lateef Salako alias Eleweomo.
Ruling, Justice Muktar Ladipo Abimbola said that since event has overtaken his judgment on the application heard last Wednesday, any judgment on the application would amount to academic exercise because it would not have any effect.
His words, “The application is hereby struck outâ€.
Prompting the stricking out of the case, Oyo State Government represented by the Legal Drafting and Ministerial Counseling from the Oyo State Ministry of Justice, Mr. S. A. Adeoye informed the court that the Oyo State Ministry of Justice was not part of the release of Senator Folarin from Agodi Prison by the magistrate’s Court last Thursday.
Adeoye stated that the withdrawal of the holding charge against Folarin was solely done by the police authorities without carrying the Oyo State Government along.
Replying, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Lead Counsel to Senator Folarin said that it was not surprising that the Ministry of Justice claimed ignorance of the steps taken by the police authorities.
Akeredolu stated that withdrawal of the case was as a result of the instruction given to the police to do so by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Muhammed Bello Adoke who in the paragraph five of a letter to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Hafiz Ringim asked the police to withdraw the suit pending when investigation on the matter is concluded.
He noted that any judgment on the case would be superfluous because the accused persons have be released from jail, adding, “Your lordship cannot order for their re-arrest for you to give judgmentâ€.
Senator Folarin was released from Agodi Prison last Thursday and flown to Abuja for the PDP convention when the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Adisa Baba Bolanta filed an application before the magistrate’s court that his charge against Senator Folarin be withdrawn.
He stated that the release of Senator Folarin would not interfere with the investigation.
— GBENRO ADESINA/Ibadan
