Please lawyers and knowledgeable people in the house. This is a question that has kept me wondering for a long time. Infact it resulted in an argument.

what happens to the money that is paid as bail in order to secure the release of an arrested person?

sometimes this bail runs into millions

some claim that when the process of court ends the money is returned
some claims that the money belongs to the state (regardless of the innocence or otherwise of the accused).

Please shed light on this