A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba Delta State has granted bail to the Ovie of Evwreni Kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Oghenekevwe Kumane, Eruvwedede 111, the chaiman, Delta State Universal Basic Education Board, Hon. Samuel Mariere and four others on charges bordering on terrorism and terrorism financing.
The traditional ruler, Hon Mariere, a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr K .K. Kumani, John Iyu, Ezikiel Odeimor and Ochuko Kumani, were granted bail in a case instituted against them by the Attorney General of the Federation in charge NO: FHC/ASB/76C/2024.
The trial judge F.A Olubanjo, ruling on the bail application on Thursday 10th, April 2025, held that each of the defendants is granted bail in the sum of N20 million, each with sureties in the like sum who shall be residents and owners of Registered landed properties within Delta State.
The sureties must provide particulars of their means of livelihood and NIN all to be verified by officers of the Court.
The defendants must submit their international passport to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court’s division and must not travel out of Nigeria, the country, without prior permission from the Court.
The defendants or their sureties shall each deposit 5 million Naira with the Deputy Chief Registrar as bail sum which shall be returned to them upon withdrawal of suretyship or conclusion of the trial.
The defendants are to file an undertaking not to do anything that might cause a breach of peace in their community and kingdom.
The defendants shall file a detailed summary of their defence stating the aspect of the prosecution’s case they agree or dispute as well as the list of the persons who will testify for the defence.
The Court observed that the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja was the investigating agency that investigated the matter. Hence, the Police at Abuja are required to verify the residential and business addresses of the defendants and their sureties.
That the Police in Abuja may liaise with the Delta State Police Command Asaba to do so if need be and not unnecessarily delay or frustrate the process.
The defendants are to comply with these terms on or before the 28th of April 2025.
However, it was observed that the Court, in its own wisdom, still released the defendants to their Learned Senior Counsel until the defendants perfected their bail.
This practice is alien. However, the Court ordered that the learned Senior Counsel shall make a fresh undertaking in writing to produce the defendants whenever required until their conditions for bail are perfected.
The case remained adjourned to 5th and 6th June 2025 for the prosecution to present its case.
