Alleged Forgery: Court Orders ICPC to Review Obono-Obla’s Bail Conditions

A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to vary the conditions it attached to the bail it granted suspended Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Ekoi Obono-Obla.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in a ruling, said should the ICPC fails to comply with the order made, it (the ICPC) will be summoned to show cause why the court should not order the release of applicant from its custody.

Justice Mohammed made the order while ruling on an ex-patre application filed and argued on Wednesday by Obono-Obla’s lawyer, F. Baba Isa, who prayed the court for the release of his client from ICPC’s custody pending the determination of a substantive suit he filed.

The judge said: “Upon reading the applicant motion exparte, the supporting affidavit and exhibits attached, it is clear that he has already been granted bail.

“The grouse of the applicant is that the conditions attached are impossible to fulfill in view of the present lock down of the country. It is also clear that the International passport of the applicant is with the respondent.

“It is hereby ordered that the conditions attached to the bail of the applicant be reviewed to enable him meet with same.

“But if the respondent fails to review the bail conditions, it will be directed to appear before the court to show cause why the application for the release of the applicant should not be granted.”

Justice Mohammed ordered that the order of the court, the hearing notice and other processes be served on the respondent before the next adjourned date fixed for April 1, 2020.

Isa, while arguing the application, told the court that his client is unable to fulfill the above conditions which he described as stringent.

He told the court that although the commission had granted his client an administrative bail, it has attached stringent conditions which can not be met in view of the ravaging coronavirus pandemic.