COURT GRANTS BAIL TO TWO ALLEGED SWINDLERS IN OSUN,ADJOURNS HEARING TO NOVEMBER 9.

A COURT SITTING IN OSOGBO, THE CAPITAL OF OSUN ON TUESDAY GRANTED OLAKUNLE TAOFIEEK MUHAMMED AND ALHAJI RASHEED BAKARE BAIL FOLLOWING THE BAIL APPLICATION BY THEIR COUNSEL.

THE DUO IS STANDING TRIAL BEFORE THE COURT ON A CHARGE BORDERING ON ALLEGED FRAUD

THE COUNSEL TO THE DEFENDANT, MR AJIBADE SHITU FILED A BAIL APPLICATION OF THE DEFENDANTS UNDER SECTION 35 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA 1999 AS AMENDED.

BARRISTER SHITU ALSO DREW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE DEFENDANTS
ARE KNOWN FOR GOOD CHARACTER AND PROMINENT FIGURES IN THE SOCIETY WITH NO CRIMINAL RECORD, AND THEREFORE, HAVE RIGHT TO BAIL, AND WOULD NOT BREACH THE BAIL CONDITIONS IF GRANTED.

HE URGED THE COURT TO GRANT THE BAIL APPLICATION, AS THE DEFENDANTS WERE READY TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE COURT, ADDING THAT THE ALLEGED OFFENSE IS BALIABLE UNDER THE LAW BUT THE PROSECUTING COUNSEL MOSES FAREMI OBJECTED TO THE BAIL APPLICATION, ARGUING THAT THE DEFENDANT MIGHT JUMP BAIL IF GRANTED.

ACCORDING TO HIM, BAIL IS NOT A FATHER CHRISTMAS GIFT, AND THAT THE COURT CANNOT IN ANYWAY GRANT THE BAIL BUT THE COUNSEL TO THE DEFENDANT ARGUED THAT THERE WAS NO PROOF OF EVIDENCE BEFORE THE COURT THAT THE ACCUSE PERSONS COMMITTED THE SAID CRIME.

HE THEREFORE URGED THE COURT TO GRANT THE SUSPECTS BAIL, SAYING THEY WILL NOT JUMP THE BAIL.

WHILE GRANTING THE BAIL APPLICATION, MAGISTRATE OLUSEGUN AYILARA SAID ANY ATTEMPT TO DENY THE ACCUSE PERSONS THE BAIL WOULD NOT BE RIGHT, ASKING THE ACCUSE PERSON AS PART OF THE BAIL CONDITIONS TO PRODUCE 2 SURETIES WITH1 MILLION NAIRA, ONE OF THE SURETIES MUST BE A CIVIL SERVANT IN GRADE 12, WITH DOCUMENT OF TAX PAYMENT AND MUST OWN A HOUSE PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE WHICH DOCUMENTS MUST BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COURT, AMONG OTHER CONDITIONS.

SPEAKING WITH THE NEWSMEN AFTER THE MATTER, PROSECUTING COUNSEL, BARISTER FAREMI MOSES ROTIMI DESCRIBED THE DECISION OF THE COURT AS A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT.

ON HIS PART, THE COUNSEL TO THE DEFENDANTS MR AJIBADE SHITU WHO EXPRESSED GRATITUDE TO THE COURT FOR GRATING HIS CLIENTS THE BAIL APPLICATION, DESCRIBED THE SUSPECTS AS PEOPLE FROM A WELL-TO-DO FAMILY BACKGROUND.

HE ALSO SAID THE BAIL CONDITIONS WOULD BE MET.

THE CASE HAS BEEN ADJOINED TO 9TH OF NOVEMBER FOR FURTHER HEARING..