Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa of the Federal High Court sitting in
\nAbuja, on Thursday, granted bail to the Director General of National
\nBroadcasting Commission, Ishaq Kawu Modibbo.
\nOthers who secured bail are Sir Lucky Omoluwa, Chairman of Pinnacle
\nCommunications Ltd, and Dipo Onifade.
\nThey are facing trial over allegation of fraud in the digital switch
\nover project of the Federal Government.<\/p>\n
The defendants were granted bail by the court after they had pleaded not
\nguilty to a 12-count charge preferred against them by the Independent
\nCorrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
\nTrial judge, Justice Giwa however granted the defendants bail on the
\nfollowing conditions.
\nThe court granted each of the three defendants bail in the sum of N100
\nmillion with two sureties each in the like sum.<\/p>\n
The sureties are expected to depose an affidavit of means as well as
\nmust be property owners in FCT.
\nJustice Giwa also held that title deeds of the property must be verified
\nand submitted to the court.
\nBesides, the court said one of the sureties must be resident in FCT, not
\nless than level 17 in public service, and must show evidence of tax
\npayment in the last three years.
\nIn addition, Justice Giwa ordered the defendants to deposit their
\ninternational passports with the registrar (litigation) of the court.<\/p>\n
Also, the sureties were ordered to submit two recent passport
\nphotographs to the registrar of the court.
\nThe court however gave the defendants 10 days to fulfil the bail
\nconditions or risk being remanded in ICPC or prison custody.<\/p>\n
Trial of the defendants begins today.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Abdullahi Mustapha SAN, counsel to Modibbo had urged the court
\nto grant him bail since there was a medical report filed before the
\ncourt showing that the 1st defendant (Modibbo) is having health
\nchallenge.
\nBesides Modibbo being on administrative bail, Mustapha told the court
\nthat the presumption of innocence was in favour of the applicant under
\nsections 158, 159 and 162 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act
\n2015.
\nBut objecting to the bail application, Henry Emore, counsel to ICPC
\ninformed the court that Modibbo jumped bail and did not honour
\ninvitation.<\/p>\n
However, Mustapha denied the allegation, and urged the ICPC lawyer to
\nprovide proof.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Alex Iziyon SAN, counsel to Onifade (2nd) and Omoluwa (3rd)
\ndefendants moved the bail application of Omoluwa since the prosecution
\ndid not oppose that of Onifade.<\/p>\n
The summary of Izinyon’s bail application was that the issue “is a
\nbailable offence under the Constitution, ACJA and ICPC Act.<\/p>\n
In addition, Iziyon had argued that bail was at the discretion of the
\ncourt, which must be exercised judicially and judiciously.<\/p>\n
On his part, the ICPC lawyer had opposed the bail application on the
\nground that the applicant had refused to honour its invitation since he
\nwas granted administrative bail.<\/p>\n
Omore further urged the court, that in the event it was minded to grant
\nbail to the defendants, it should be on stringent terms to make them
\nattend trial.<\/p>\n
But Izinyon insisted that the 3rd defendant did not jump bail, and
\ndemanded proof from the prosecution.<\/p>\n
Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, granted bail to the Director General of National Broadcasting Commission, Ishaq Kawu Modibbo. Others who secured bail…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n