PEPC: Labour Party decries Justice Odili’s pre-judgment remarks
Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha has ordered that three defendants who allegedly participated in the October 29, 2021 unlawful invasion of Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili’s house in Abuja, be returned to Kuje prison in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The Judge, on Monday, ordered that they remain in the prison custody till the time they are able to meet the bail conditions imposed on them.
After spending 35 days at Kuje prison, Justice Maha admitted the three alleged invaders of Justice Odili’s house to bail on N5M each with two sureties in the like sum.
They were admitted to bail after the Inspector General of Police IGP opened their trial for the criminal offence allegedly committed in October last year.
Those who got the fresh bail respite are the 11th and 15th defendants, ASP Mohammed Yahaya and Abdullahi Usman respectively whose earlier oral bail application was refused on December 15 by Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha due to failure to place material before the court to justify the bail then.
The 14th defendant, Abdullahi Adamu, who has no lawyer to apply for his bail on December 15 was also allowed to be N5M bail upon the request of a counsel.
Justice Maha had on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 granted bail to 12 other defendants.
Just like the bail conditions of December 15, the Judge considered the three defendants for bail in the sum of N5M each with two sureties each in the like sum.
One of the two sureties must be a responsible citizen and have a property in Abuja worth not below N5M .
The second sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of three years tax payment.
However, at the close of work, none of the defendants was able to meet any of the conditions, prompting Justice Maha to order their return to Kuje Prison and to remain there until they secure sureties to stand for them.
The Inspector-General of Police IGP had on December 15, arraigned the 15 defendants over their alleged unlawful invasion of the Abuja residence of a Supreme Court Justice, Mary Peter Odili in October last year.
They include two senior lawyers, Alex Onyekuru and Igwe Ernest as well as a senior journalist, Mr Stanley Nkwazema and a housewife, Hajia Memunat Maisanu.
They were put on trial on 18-count charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja bordering on an attempt to execute an unlawful search warrant on the Abuja residence of Justice Mary Odili, threat to her life and those of her family members, forgery and extortion.
However, all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defendants are Adjodo Lawrence, Michael Diete-Spiff, Barrister Alex Onyekuru, Bayero Lawal (AKA Director of EFCC), Barrister Igwe Ernest, Aliyu Umar Ibrahim, Hajiya Maimuna Maishanu and Dr. Ayodele Akindipe (AKA Herbalist).
The rest are Yusuf Adamu (AKA Godson to Chief Peter Odili), Bashir Musa, Assistant Superintendent of Police ASP, Mohammed Yahaya, Stanley Nkwazema, Shehu Jibo, Abdullahi Adamu and Abdullahi Usman.
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