Adeleke docked, gets N2m bail in fresh certificate forgery charges

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

A Magistrate Court in Mpape a suburb of Abuja the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday admitted Senator Ademola Adeleke to bail in the sum of N2m after he was docked by the Police for certificate forgery.

Adeleke who contested the Osun State governorship election in 2018 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the election last month by Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

While the Court of Appeal reserved its judgment on the appeal challenging the tribunal verdict , Police on Tuesday arraigned Adeleke before the Magistrate Court on a five count charge bordering on alleged false statement and forgery.

He pleaded not guilty to all the five count charges and his lawyer, Prince Adebiyi Adeyosoye accordingly move an application for his bail.

Although, prosecution counsel opposed the application on grounds that the defendant did not show evidence of his ill health , however Magistrate Mohammed Zubaru, in his ruling held that he was mindful to grant the bail application.

As part of the conditions, the court ordered Adeleke to produce a surety in like sum, who must be a resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

Earlier, on Monday May 6, 2019 Adeleke was detained by the police at its headquarters in Abuja, where he had gone to submit himself for interrogation in line with an order of a Federal High Court, Abuja.

The police after its interrogation brought Adeleke to the Mpape Magistrate Court for arraignment on the allegations of forgery.

Earlier, when the suit marked: CR/26/19, was called, Adeleke’s lawyer, Adeyosoye, told the court that it would be impracticable for the court to proceed with the arraignment on the grounds that the defendant is already standing trial on the same charge in two different High Courts.

He submitted that to proceed with the arraignment would amount to abuse of court process.

Adeyosoye further told the court that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, who had on Friday, May 3, granted Adeleke permission to travel abroad for medical attention, ordered the police not to hinder Adeleke from embarking on his medical trip scheduled for today Tuesday 7, 2019.

The lawyer also presented before the court another order of a High Court in Osun, which specifically ordered the police not to arrest or prevent Adeleke from traveling abroad for medical attention.

The two court orders were tendered and admitted in evidence as exhibit A and A1.

The lawyer accordingly urged the court to adjourned indefinitely pending the hearing and determination of the two main suit.

Responding, the defence counsel , Simon Lough, opposed to the application for adjournment, on the grounds that the orders of the court on which the application was predicated did not say that the defedant cannot be arraigned.

Lough in addition informed the court that the complainant had already filed an appeal against the orders of Justice Ekwo of the Federal High Court.

He therefore urged the court to dismiss the application and order the defendant to take his plea.

Ruling on the application for adjournment, Magistrate Zubaru ruled that by the hierachy of court, the Magistrate Court is bound by the orders of High Court.

He further ruled that the court cannot stop the defendant from enjoying his fundamental rights as ordered by the High Courts.

However, Magistrate Zubaru declined to adjourned the matter indefinitely on the grounds that nowhere in the two orders of the two High Courts that the police was ordered not to arraign the defendant.

He subsequently ordered that the charge be read to Adeleke for him to take his plea.

The matter has been adjourned till June 24 for commencement of trial.