The Abuja Federal High Court admitted Olisa Metuh, a former secretary of national advertising for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to bail of 250 million naira.
Judge Nkeonye Maha issued the order, in a ruling, following a motion for service with charge number: FHC / ABJ / CR / 05/2016 dated and filed on December 21 by a team of attorneys led by Dr. Oyechi Ikpeazu, Metuh’s lawyer.
Judge Maha ruled that the bond must be held by responsible citizens and owner of the property / real estate within the jurisdiction of the court, the value of which should not be less than the sum of the bond.
The judge ordered that once the bail conditions were perfected, the court record will bring the release order for his signature to order the Superintendent of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Kuje, in whose custody Metuh was paroled from righ now.
“That registry of this court will verify the property / properties with the address of the surety and will deposit an affidavit of the same.
“That the original title deeds of the property / properties shall be deposited in the registry of this honorable court.
“That bond will be posted in a media affidavit and he will present a recent passport of himself for registration purposes,” he said.
The judge also accepted Metuh’s request to travel in and out of the court’s jurisdiction for only 45 days, from the date of the order.
Maha, therefore, ordered the conditional release of Metuh’s international passport from the court record as soon as the conditions of the bond were met.
“That applicant must immediately deliver his international passport to the Deputy Chief Secretary of the Federal Superior Court within three days of the date of his return.
“That principal principal counsel for the applicant shall submit a commitment to ensure the return of the applicant’s international passport, in accordance with previous court orders,” it ordered.
Metuh, through his team of lawyers led by Ikpeazu, had filed the motion with notice requesting an order to shorten the time within which the request must be heard and to hear the request during the December holidays.
“An order that grants permission to the plaintiff to present this request, a judgment having been issued by the Court of Appeal annulling the judgment of the Federal Superior Court in which the plaintiff is detained in office.
“An order ordering the applicant’s release from custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Kuje, Abuja. pending when he is tried again before a court of law.
“An order directing that the applicant’s international passport be given conditionally so that he can visit his family residing in London when he is released.
“An order ordering that until a condition for bail is established at his reappearance, the applicant shall be free to travel to see his family for intermittent periods of two months.
“And for any other order or orders that this honorable court deems convenient to issue in the circumstance,” the motion said in part.
Judge Maha, after reading the 15 paragraph affidavit in support of the motion and having considered Exhibit “A”, which was the registered order of the Court of Appeal and that the statements in the affidavit supporting the request in The notice was not contested in the proceedings of the prosecutor, Benjamin Maji, exercised his discretion pursuant to Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution as amended to grant Metuh’s statement.
