Man risks jail for standing surety for an accused in court

A Lagos based businessman, Obikwere Ibeh may be remanded after an accused that he stood surety for in court bolted away.

The man was said to have entered into a bond of N20 million on behalf of one David Ngene, who is standing trial over a criminal charge.

The X-Squad of the Lagos Police Command, handling the case has however, given the businessman two options of either pay the N20 million bond or stand trial on behalf of the accused.

It was gathered that Ngene had been involved in a criminal matter of conspiracy, obtaining and stealing of about the same amount of money under bond.

He was consequently arrested and detained at the command before Ibeh went to stand as surety and entered into N20 million bond.

It was learnt that Ibeh assured the police that he knew Ngene very well and that he would not escape if he was granted bail.

Trouble started for the middle aged businessman, when the police contacted him to produce Ngene as promised, of which he could not.

He was arrested and charged before Ikeja Magistrate Court for perversion of justice and failure to meet the bond he had entered. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, Mr. Promise Olatunji did not object to the application for bail by his counsel.

Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Y.O. AjeAfunwa, granted him bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.

The matter had been adjourned till June 19, 2018.