Invaders of Justice Odili’s house get N5million bail on 18 count charges

Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha of the federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday evening granted bail to 12 out of 15 defendants put on trial by the Inspector General of Police who allegedly attempted to carry out an unlawful search in Abuja residence of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili.

Each of the 12 defendants was considered for bail in the sum of N5million 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 N5million.

The second sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of three years’ tax payment.

In separate rulings on the ball for the defendants filed by their respective lawyers, Justice Maha held that the defendants placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant they are being admitted to bail.

Besides the N5million bail bonds, the Judge ordered among other things that the defendants must deposit their international passport with the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation in the court.

Pending the perfection of their bail conditions, Justice Maha ordered that they be remanded at Kuje Correctional centre (prison) in Abuja.

The oral bail applications made for 11th and 15th defendants, ASP Mohammed Yahaya and Abdullahi Usman respectively were refused by the Judge on the ground that no material was placed before the court to justify their oral request for bail.

The Judge ordered that the two defendants be kept in Kuje Correctional center prison till the date of the trial.

14th defendant, Abdullahi Adamu, who has no lawyer to apply for his bail, was ordered to be kept at Kuje Correctional center prison till the trial date.

The female among the 15 defendants, Hajia Memunat Maisara was ordered to be kept at Suleja Correctional center prison.

Justice Maha fixed January 17th. and 18th as the trial date for all the defendants.

Earlier in the day, the Inspector General of Police IGP arraigned the 15 defendants believed to have participated in the October 19 alleged unlawful invasion of the Abuja residence of a Supreme Court Justice, Mary Peter Odili.

The defendants comprised 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 and threat to her life and those of her family members.

However, all the defendants who were brought to court under heavy security by police operatives denied all the charges slammed on them.

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.