Olaitan: Court Grants Ugolor Bail

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Environmental rights activist, Rev. David Ugolor, who was detained in connection with alleged complicity in the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, Principal Private Secretary of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, has been granted bail.

A Benin High Court, (Criminal Division 1), presided over by Justice Philip Imoedemhe granted Ugolor bail Monday in the sum of N1 million and a surety with landed property in Benin City, the Edo state capital, southsouth Nigeria.

He was earlier arraigned and remanded in prison custody by an Oredo Chief Magistrate’s Court on 31 August, 2012 by Chief Magistrate Francis Idiake alongside nine others accused of killing Olaitan.

The application for bail sought by Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi, counsel to the accused, had relied on Section 118 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Law CAP. 49, vol. 11, laws of former Bendel State of Nigeria, now applicable to Edo State.

Afolabi, who led two others, argued that the evidences advanced before the court by the respondent (police) were not enough to hold Ugolor, adding that the Department of State Security Service, SSS, had established a case of conspiracy and robbery against other suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Olaitan.

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Counsel to the state, Mrs. Adekumbi, however, opposed the bail application, saying that the police were yet to complete their investigation on the murder case in which Ugolor was fingered.

After listening to arguments of both parties, Justice Imoedemhe held that police argument lacked sufficient evidence, stressing that the statement of the first accused, Garuba Usman Maisameri wherein Ugolo’s name was mentioned, which are part of the evidence adduced by the respondent, were not enough reasons to keep the accused person in perpetual detention.

He therefore granted Ugolor bail.

Reacting to the ruling, Kola Edokpoyi, a member of Coalition of Civil Society Groups, described the judiciary as truly the last hope for the common man.

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

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