Again, Appeal Court varies Dasuki’s bail conditions

Detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki on Friday got the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal to further reduce the stringent bail conditions handed him by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Friday’s reduction is the second time the Court of Appeal would be reducing his bail conditions, after a panel of the appellate court headed by Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, had on July 13 reduced the bail sum from N200m to N100m and cancelled the condition that he must pay N100m to the account of the Federal High Court, which would be retrievable only after the completion of the cases against him.

The first appeal panel also cancelled the Federal High Court’s condition that Dasuki’s sureties must submit evidence of tax payments in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Justice Akomolafe-Wilson held that: “The imposition of these stringent terms of bail on the appellant practically amounts to a refusal of bail, thereby keeping the appellant perpetually in custody.

Read also: Nigeria ranked 3rd worst country in the world in terror attacks. The implications

“One must put into consideration that this same singular appellant was already granted bail by some other courts with sureties to guarantee such bail.

“What is paramount to note and very relevant is the fact that the terms and conditions of bail granted by the previous courts are extant and have not been breached by the appellant.”

Dasuki further applied for variation, culminating in Friday’s decision by another panel headed by Stephen, which cancelled the condition that Dasuki must produce a Grade Level 16 civil servant with landed asset worth N100m within the Federal Capital Territory.

In his lead judgment, Justice Adah held it was wrong for courts to make the presentation of civil servants sureties for bail.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now