Police arrests bailed online publisher in Kogi

Nigeria Police Kogi command on Thursday re-arrested on-line publisher, Austin Okai after a Lokoja Chief Magistrate Court granted him bail over alleged sedition against Governor Yahaya Bello.

Defence counsel, Williams Aliwo who briefed journalists shortly after the re-arrest of the blogger in the court premises, said he had to allow the re-arrest of his client peacefully to avoid possible complications and unpleasant consequencies.

Aliwo said that immediately the court granted his client bail in the sum of N100,000 and a reliable surety in like sum, the SARS and regular policemen who came in about 15 Hilux vans curdoned off the court premises.

This made Okai to fear for his life on seeing the heavy presence of police saying that the governor was after his life and even after perfecting all the bail papers, remained in the court room up till about 3:15

Okai was arraigned on Tuesday before Chief Magistrate Levi Animoku who ordered his remand in police custody and adjourned to Thursday for mention.

At adjourned sitting on Thursday, Aliwo said he had filed a motion before the court and urged it to grant the indulgence to move the application.

The prosecuting counsel, Gabriel Otowu (ASP) in his submission said the motion was served only Wednesday afternoon hardly giving him opportunity to go through it and he therefore, urged the court to grant a stand down to enable him study the motion and reply appropriately.

At the resumed sitting at about 11:07 am, Otowu told the court that investigation was yet to be concluded and asked for adjournment to enable the police conclude their investigation.

Aliwo said his motion was brought pursuant to section 35(4) of the 1999 constitution as amended and 341 (2,3) of Civil Procedure Code (CPC) praying for an order of the court admitting the accused applicant to bail pending the determination of the allegations.

Chief Magistrate Animoku in his ruling described as ”embarrassing” Otowu’s call for adjournment after asking for stand down which was granted adding that the application for adjournment was ”obscure and strange in legal practice.”

Animoku said he was convined that the accused would attend court for his trial and would not elope justice adding that bail was neither an acquital nor a discharge.

He therefore granted the application for bail and released the accused on bail in the sum of N100,000 with a surety in like sum adding that the surety must be a businessman resident in Lokoja with a defined address.

”Meanwhile, the case is adjourned to 4th May, 2017.