The Nigeria Police on Wednesday arraigned 15 suspects at the Federal High Court, Abuja, over the invasion of Justice Mary Odili’s home in the nation’s capital.
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 a threat to her life and those of her family members.
Recall that security operatives had stormed the judge’s home with a search warrant on October 29 over alleged illegal activities in the building.
Presiding over the case in Abuja on Wednesday, Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court granted bail to 12 out of 15 defendants brought before the court.
Each of the 12 defendants was considered for bail in the sum of N5M each with two sureties each in the like sum.
According to the verdict, one of the two sureties must be a responsible citizen and have a property in Abuja worth not below N5M, while the second sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of three years tax payment.
In separate rulings on the bail for the defendants filed by their respective lawyers, Justice Maha held that the defendants placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant their being admitted to bail.
She also held that among other things, the defendants must deposit their international passport with the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation in the court.
However, pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions, Justice Maha ordered that they be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the oral bail applications made for the 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.
She ordered that the two defendants be kept in Kuje Correctional Centre till the date of the trial, including the 14th defendant, Abdullahi Adamu, who has no lawyer to plead for his bail.
Justice Maha fixed January 17th. and 18th as the trial date for all the defendants
