A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in Osun state, Alhaji Fatai Diekola was on Thursday granted bail by the State High Court, sitting in Ilesa.
Diekola, alongside six others were on Tuesday arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate court on a three-count charge of alleged breach of public peace and another 8-count charge, bothering on illegal possession of firearms.
At Thursday’s sitting, the presiding judge, Justice S.A Afolabi granted a 7-day bail to Diekola and six others pending the time his counsel would file a motion on notice and serve the parties involved in the matter.
Afolabi granted the bail in the sum of N1m and two sureties in the like sum, the sureties must own verified properties within the court’s jurisdiction.
Counsel to Diekola and other accused persons, Barrister Bukola Onifade while arguing their bail application before the State High Court in Ilesa yesterday said “by virtue of Order 4, Rule 3 of the fundamental right enforcement, if you are being denied bail by Magistrate Court, you have the right to approach court of higher jurisprudence”.
Meanwhile, Osun State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fimihan Adeoye Thursday declared that the arrest of Alhaji Fatai Diekola by the state police command had no political undertone.
Fimihan, who spoke to journalists on the sideline of burial programme for the wife of Chief Bisi Akande, Late Chief (Mrs) Omowumi Akande in Ila Orangun contended that the arrest was part of the police responsibilities to ensure peace and stability in the state.
He stated, “It is unfortunate that people are insinuating about political motivation of the arrest and over-flogging this matter. Any arrest made by the police is not for any individual’s interest but rather in the interest of justice and fairness. Any arrest made does not matter about the individual’s socio-economic status, group or political party he or she belongs to.
“People should stop over-floogging this matter. When an individual commits an offence, such person will be dealt with in accordance with the law irrespective of his status or political affiliation. Nobody ordered the Command to arrest anyone. We are carrying out our statutory responsibility. We should know when an individual commits an offence. The political status of such person does not matter. What matters is to allow the law to take its due course”, Adeoye remarked.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
