Murder: Court Fixes August 23 For Hearing On Bail Application Of PDP Chieftains
Justice Emmanuel Ogundare of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere will on August 23 hear the bail application filed by five Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) members accused by the police of murdering a chieftain of the party in the state.
The PDP members: Rotimi Kujore, Ismaila Abiola, Kehinde Fasasi, Fatai Adele and Amos Fawole were docked before Chief Magistrate, Oyetade Komolafe over the murder, of the Chairman of the party in Apapa Local Government Area of the state, Adeniyi Aborishade.
The court had issued a 30 days remand order against the accused persons after they were arraigned by the police on July 25 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful killing and thereafter adjourned the matter till August 27 for Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advice.
But on Thursday, the accused persons brought an application for bail before the vacation judge of the High Court, challenging their detention.
When the matter came up for hearing, the defence counsel, Kunle Osinowo, sought the leave of the court to apply for their bail.
Osinowo brought the application by way of an August 7 motion ex -parte, explaining that the matter was for urgent hearing.
According to the lawyer, the defendants were being held for an offence they know nothing about.
He said, “They were in a meeting and one of them got shot.”
Osinowo also urged the judge to take judicial notice of the dismissal of the same charge against the Chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Moshood Salvador and 10 others, by a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday, following a DPP report exonerating them.
He said: “I believe that the same thing will also happen when the DPP’s advice concerning these defendants is out.”
Justice Ogundare granted his prayer and adjourned the hearing of the motion ex-parte till August 23.
