An Oyo High Court sitting in Ibadan has granted bail to 12 suspected killers of an undergraduate student of Ajayi Crowther University, Jeffrey Akro.
The bail was granted with sum of N5 million and two sureties each in like sum while the case was adjourned till Friday, 21 February 21 2025.
The suspects pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge when the case was mentioned for hearing at the same court in Awe, Oyo state.
Their plea and oral application for bail could not be taken during the last sitting, which informed the adjournment.
Justice Ladiran Akintola, however, at the sitting on Friday granted bail to the suspects with a sum of N5m each while their parents will stand as sureties.
The Court ruled: “Each of the 1st- 12th defendant is here by admitted to bail in the sum of N5m with two surgeries each one of whom must be a biological parent of the applicant/defendant.”
Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Delta state, and Counsel to the Prosecutor, Chief Victor Otomiewo said: “The most important thing is the pronouncement and what every lawyer knows is that the granting of bail is not a declaration of innocence or acquittal.
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“The re-trial has been adjourned till February 21, 2025. If we are unable to resolve the matter on that date, the trial will proceed accordingly.
“With the pronouncement of the Judge and his conduct of the trial so far, everybody will go home and see that Justice, real justice not abstract justice has been served.
Counsel to the 7th defendant, Barrister Wole Efunnuga submitted: ‘The trial Judge did not just come up granting bail, there are precedent condition.
“The Judge looked at the issue holistically and he made it a point of duty to seek the opinion of the Prosecution counsel to ask if the decision is of the counsel.
” My learned counsel to use his discretion and the ruling represented the views of all the parties involved”.
