Court Grants Ex-Oyo Gov Akala N500 Million Bail

SAN FRANCISCO, October 13, (THEWILL) - An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State today admitted former governor of Oyo State Otunba Adebayo Alao- Akala, and two of his associates, Senator Hosea Agboola, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Mr. Femi Babalola, a contractor to bail on stringent conditions.

The trio are standing trial on an 11 count charge of conspiracy, illegal acquisition of property and illegal award of contracts preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Ruling on their bail application, Justice Moshood Abass observed that the offence for which the accused persons are standing trial attracts jail terms of between 3 and 7 years imprisonment on conviction. He said since it was not a capital offence, the accused persons were entitled to bail. The trial judge noted that the second and third accused had visited EFCC more than seven times between 2007 and 2010 and were even granted administrative bail by the anti-graft agency. He stated that if the EFCC could grant them bail, it should not be the responsibility of the court to deny them bail. Justice Abass further stated that there was no proof before the court that the defendants would jump bail.

On the first accused, Justice Abass said the report available to court indicate that he is hypertensive and should not be denied access to proper medical attention. He therefore admitted Alao-Akala to bail in the sum of N500 million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must have landed property in the Ibadan GRA, and swear to an affidavit of means.

The second and third accused persons were admitted to bail in the sum of N300 million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must have landed property in Ibadan GRA and swear to an affidavit of means.

The accused persons are however to remain in the custody of the State Security Service pending the perfection of their bail conditions.

When they were first arraigned on Tuesday October 11, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges but their bail application could not be heard following the argument by the prosecution counsel, Godwin Obla asking for time to study and respond to the application. This prompted Justice Moshood Abass to adjourn proceedings to Wednesday, October 12.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday October 12, the court for more than five hours, heard arguments from counsel on whether it should or should not exercise its discretion by admitting the accused persons to bail.

Lead counsel to the defendants, Mamman Osuman, SAN urged the court to admit the accused persons, especially the first accused (Akala) to bail on the ground ill-health and tendered a medical report to back of his claim. He told t he court that Akala was already due for check up that that his health requires frequent monitoring. In addition, he reminded the court that the offence allegedly committed by the accused persons was bailable.

Similar arguments were advanced in support of the bail application of the second accused person, Senator Babalola. Counsel claimed that as a senator of the Federal Republic, the accused person was not likely to jump bail if granted.

But EFCC counsel, Obla opposed the application. Armed with a counter – affidavit deposed to by one Olayinka Bolanle, he urged the court to discountenance the medical report presented in support of the claim of ill health in respect of the first accused. He said the document is intended to hoodwink and mislead the court, adding that there was no sign to indicate the accused person was not in sound health. Obla added that the report was written on Monday, two days before the accused persons were arraigned. He further told the court to deny bail to the accused persons on the ground that they were highly influential personalities who could interfere with witnesses and the investigations if admitted to bail. He added the accused persons were still being investigated in respect of other Code of Conduct offences and that the onus was on the court to protect the integrity of the exercise by not admitting the accused persons to bail.

Justice Abass has adjourned the matter to 13, 14, 15 December 2011 for commencement of trial.

The accused persons are alleged to have siphoned N11.5 billion from the Oyo State Government treasury through illegal award of contracts, obtaining by false pretence and acquiring property with money derived from illegal acts and concealing the ownership of such property.

http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/71980/1/court-grants-ex-oyo-gov-akala-n500-million-bail.html

It has been one justice for the poor and another for the rich.it always baffles me.Some who looted in good health,when standing trial suddenly gets sick and he released on that ground.Law is truly an ass!

This is ridiculous. Almost all them that are undergoing trials do get bail on health grounds. is this a sign of Judicial weakness? Fayose got bail too cos he was sick. cecilia Ibru too got bail too cos she was sick. Ibori same. WTF?

Imagine it was Rhino that stole 5 billion naira. . .

any news concerning trial, health bail, EFCC , Arrest are always like this

i hope hes not feigning illness.

500million Naira for bail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, God help us

Nigeria useless law helps the rich to go scot free and denies the common freedom.
The Alao Akala that i saw yesterday opening his mouth like gutter/ latrin pit can not be sick. Even when the doctors report was not signed yet gave him bail. The lawyers are the ones destroying this nation with there useless laws.

The same jungle law should be applied to the rich and the poor.

kunyeo:

It has been one justice for the poor and another for the rich.it always baffles me.Some who looted in good health,when standing trial suddenly gets sick and he released on that ground.Law is truly an Bottom!

This is true. Nigerian law has discretion and not binding on all

Bleep Nigeria mehnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, Fcuck GEJ , Fck em all

Anyone expecting sth different must av bn living in fools paradise.Show me one past governor who has bn convicted by a "properly constituted court of law" in nigeria;instead they get rehabilitated and become senators,godfathers or pests to d society.
Honestly I wud b disappointed if Akala is convicted;d same laws and principles av seen others walk free,so why shd his,Gbenga Daniel's,Akwe Doma's or Goje's b different;let d looting continue.Anyone of them wt billions stashed who is foolish enough to get himself convicted shd b ostracised by his family,community and party

500 mil for bail choi na wa.
 What happens to all the money he stole?

And there are many sick people is Kirikiri, will they now be released to get treatment outside?

God help Nigera

nigeria, i hail theeeeeeee

Akala is now hypertensive, all of a sudden?

Na that sickness go kill am, he prays for it now, lolz

Nigeria we hail thee. This is not the first time to have different laws for the both rich and the poor. In Lagos recently a tenancy law was promugated for the poor and not the rich at Ikoyi ,V/I, Ikeja GRA and other places where the rich has properties. May God help us all. On Akala, let wait and see what happen after the bail just like his colleagues in corruption galore.

I can't be surprised by the turn of events. Honestly, I feel it's all a charade (I hope I'm proved wrong), nothing will be done to these guys, they'll just ask them to return some of the money.

btw, i didn't know that alao akala could fall sick o!!

Pls ooo, i need to steal N11.5 billion. Am ready to go to jail for 7yrs, wont pretend sickness, i promise,
Chai 9ja ma kontry!

When u're prosecutg to expose corruption and at the same time granting bail for N500m, it shows we are not serious at all!

It's implied that u can steal as much as u can, but keep some of it for bail!

Where are we going in this country?When the revolution will start?If common citizen steal 50,000Naira,he or she will be jail for 4years!With this huge amount of money the judge is talking of 3 or 7 years imprisonment.Akalamagbo or what is your name,is that illness that will send you to early grave!!!

Nigeria is finished, there is no hope any longer

is that a bail or a bribe? the efcc crews gan re mumu, they should kill on site any corruptted politician. instead of catching the same thief over and over again.

Aw, na today? *long hiss*

The case is an arrangement. Gbenga Daniel is their target. They just add Akala and Doma to it so as not to appear as being selective. OBJ is at work. OBJ has been trying to show Nigerians that he is the one in charge not GEJ. Firstly he arranged for the meeting with Boko Haram family to show that he is indispensable in Nigeria.
2. He ordered the arrest of the Journalists and Editors of The Nation for publishing a letter he wrote to GEJ directing a sitting president to dissolve NDDC board in which GEJ obeyed.
3. Now he is proving that he is incharge by arranging the trial of OGD in the manner he was doing during Ribadu. I am not saying OGD is not a thief. I am not saying he shouldn't be tried but the point I am making is that the overbearing influence of OBJ on GEJ is too much.
4. He is the brain behind the return of OKonjo Iweala and the campaign for the removal of subsidy.
GEJ GOVERNMENT IS OBASANJO'S THIRD TERM BY PROXY.

The man was laughing like a hyena 2 days ago in court, now he's ill. Terrific. Typical EFCC: arrest them, make noise to journalists, charge them to court and release on bail.

NOTHING NEW!

So where is the money coming from? Doesn't the law stipulate a bail-bond of 10% of the actual bail amount? So where will he (legitimately) find 50 million?

demoncrazy - like Fela would say

first step they are going to walk away free

when they are looting there is no illness or sickness

when trial begin

story dom start

happy fresh air

God bless Nigeria