A Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has granted an interim bail to the Chief Staff of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Alhaji Yusuf Abdulwahab.
Abdulwahab has been in police custody in Abuja since June 2 for his alleged link with the suspects, who robbed commercial banks in Offa, on April 5.
Justice M.O. Adewara granted the bail after considering the oral application for bail made on behalf of the aide by his counsel, Mr. Adebayo Adelodun (SAN), and the response of the counsel to the respondent, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris.
Abdulwahab prayed for an order at the Federal High Court, Abuja, to grant him bail.
He said he had been in police custody for more than the 24 hours allowed by law, without a charge.
But the judge, Justice Babatunde Quadri, rejected the bail application on the grounds that the case was outside the jurisdiction of his court.
He ordered the transfer of the case to the High Court of Kwara State.
The case was assigned to Justice Adewara, who issued a hearing notice to the respondent, and fixed hearing for July 17.
According to the chief of staff’s counsel, no one represented the IGP, or filed any process on the date of hearing.
Adelodun moved the court to grant his client’s bail application.
The court ajourned the case till July 24 for ruling.
On July 19, the legal officer for the police filed a notice of preliminary objection to the case, and a counter-affidavit to the application for bail.
As a result, the ruling on Tuesday could not be delivered.
Adelodun made an oral application for his client’s interim bail, pending the determination of the main application.
He said counsel to the IGP did not object to the application, and left it to the discretion of the court.
The IGP’s counsel, however, sought to move a motion for extension of time, which was granted by the court.
Justice Adewara granted the chief of staff bail at N10 million with two sureties.
He ruled the sureties must be persons of means and should swear to an affidavit and deposit their certificates of occupancy of land located anywhere in Kwara State.
He adjourned the case till October 15 for hearing of the motion.
