In a recent ruling, Judge Bolaji Olajuwon refused to grant bail to five defendants involved in terrorism cases. The judge ruled that the defendants failed to provide specific circumstances justifying their release from detention at the Kuje Correctional Center.
Justice Olajuwon held that the accused, particularly Chime Ezebalike and Prince Oladele, failed to provide evidentiary and verifiable material to support their application for bail.
The judge noted that affidavits submitted in support of the application, written by Mariam Alawiye, an office assistant, claimed to have obtained information and evidence about the defendants from certain individuals, but refused to disclose the identity of these people in court.
Olajuwon clarified that the deponent also failed to provide any documents or evidence to support her assertions in the affidavit. She explained that an affidavit must mention the names of those who provided information about the accused in a criminal case, according to Section 115 of the Evidence Act.
The judge concluded that, rather than presenting facts in accordance with the law, the affidavit contained extraneous material that was not relevant to convincing a court to grant bail.
She also did not agree with the deponent’s assertion that the accused would not abscond, commit other offenses or disrupt witnesses and investigations, adding that these assertions were vague and a matter of rumors because the applicant had not produced supporting evidence.
The judge also noted that the offenses for which the accused were being prosecuted were not normally bailable. Regarding Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa’s application, Justice Olajuwon found that the alleged chronic hypertension and high blood pressure for 10 years were not supported by any medical documents.
Additionally, the judge held that the Inspector General of Police’s argument that the illness could be managed by prison medical staff was not disputed. Therefore, Justice Olajuwon ordered all defendants to remain in custody at the jail pending hearing and disposition of the case.
Olajuwon, who granted an expedited hearing in the case, set February 8 for the start of the trial. These five defendants were indicted on January 25 on seven counts related to acts of terrorism.