By Damilare Adeleye
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has slammed N10 million bail each on the ten members of the #Endbadgovernance# protesters, who were arrested and detained for treason.
The protesters, who were charged with attempting to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu between July 1 and August 4 this year, were admitted to bail on Wednesday by the judge.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite agreed with the argument of the 1st 2nd, and 4th defendants’ counsel, Abubakar Marshall, “that anybody charged with a criminal offence must be presumed innocent until proven guilty”.
He said, “I have carefully considered the submission of the counsel on both divides. I hereby grant the defendants bail notwithstanding the crime.
“The bail is hereby granted to the defendants applicant in the sum of N10m each and one surety in like some”.
Besides, the sureties must be property owners in Abuja and must deposit documents of the properties to the court in addition to swearing an affidavit of means.
Also, both the defendants and the sureties must deposit their international passports and three recent passport photographs with the court.
Justice Nwite, while rejecting the objections of the Inspector General of Police against the bail request, ordered the defendants not to participate in any public rally throughout their trial.
Pending the perfection of their respective bail conditions, the Judge ordered that they be remanded in prison custody.
Meanwhile, September 27 has been fixed for the commencement of their trial.The accused persons were said to have committed the treasonable offence during the one-week nationwide protests.
The offences were said to be contrary to sections 96, 410 and 413 of the Penal Code.
The Inspector General of Police, IGP, who brought the charges against them alleged that the accused persons broke into the Abacha Army Barracks and openly called on the military to take over the constitutional government of President Tinubu.
He also alleged that they attempted to force their way into the seat of power during which they allegedly burned down a police station and injured police officers.
They were also said to have incited the Nigerian public against the government and destroyed several public properties including a Police station, High Court complex and National Communication Commission, NCC facilities.
The accused persons are Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Eleojo Simon, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello Nurudeen Khamis and Abduldalam Zubair.