A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has granted the Ovie of Evwreni, Oghenekevwe Owin Kumane of Evwreni in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State bail in the sum of Ten million naira (N10,000,000.00).
The presided judge, Justice Abang Okon, yesterday Tuesday granted the bail upon the prosecutor’s withdrawal of a motion to discontinue the charge filed by Police.
Justice Okon in the case marked, FHC/WR/95/2020 FRN VS OGHENEKEVWE KUMANE, ordered that the accused to provide a reliable surety in the like sum who shall depose to an affidavit of means and verifiable address/property within jurisdiction.
Counsel to the accused, Chief Albert Akpomudje, SAN, in an oral application argued that the Ovie is a personality in the area who will not jump bail when granted.
Akpomudje in his submissions said he is prepared to stake his wig and gown for the 1st accused (the traditional ruler) and the bail of the other two defendants at the discretion of the Court.
Opposing the bail application, counsel for the prosecution, Mr Sani Bagudu, from Federal Ministry of justice stated that the Federal High Court is a Court of record in which applications of this nature ought to be by way of an affidavit so as to give the prosecution an opportunity to respond to facts presented by the defence that may not be true.
Bagudu further argued that the offence which the accused persons were brought to court is a capital offence under the law which bail should not be granted let alone oral application.
According to him, granting the Ovie and other accused persons bail, without a formal written application they may likely jump bail or temper with the court process.
He, therefore, urged the court to refuse the oral application .
Ruling on the application, Justice Okon granted the application only for the Ovie but declined the bail application for Stephen Atiri and Kelly Omojugheri.
He then ordered that both Stephen Atari and Kelly Omojughenri be remanded at the Warri Correctional Center till the next adjoined date of 30 and 31 of January 2023.
The Ovie of Evwreni is facing ten count charges bordering on terrorism, leading to the death of some persons in Evwreni, burning of houses and destruction of other properties.
Dependable sources privy to the case told NewsNet Nigeria that the Ovie has been avoiding arraignment since 2020 for alleged brutal and gruesome killing of Silvester Adjogbe, the younger brother to the former Executive Director, Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Engr Samuel Adjogbe, FNSE and Mr Fidelis Adjogbe, a Senior Special Assistant, SSA, Political to the Governor of Delta State.
