The Oyo High Court in Ibadan has granted bail to twelve suspects in the murder of Jeffrey Akro, an undergraduate student at Ajayi Crowther University.
Although the case was postponed until Friday, February 21, 2025, bail was granted in the amount of N5 million with two sureties each in an equivalent amount.
The matter was referred to the same court in Awe, Oyo state, where the suspect entered a not guilty plea to a two-count charge.They were unable to make their plea and oral bail application during the previous hearing, which led to the adjournment.
However, during the Friday hearing, Justice Ladiran Akintola granted the accused N5 million in bail, with their parents serving as sureties.
The Court decleared, ”Each of the 1st- 12th defendant is here by admitted to bail in the sum of N5m with two surgeries each one of whom must be a biological parent of the applicant/defendant.”
Chief Victor Otomiewo, a former attorney general, commissioner for justice in Delta state, and prosecutor’s counsel, stated:“The most important thing is the pronouncement and what every lawyer knows is that the granting of bail is not a declaration of innocence or acquittal.
“The re-trial has been adjourned till February 21, 2025. If we are unable to resolve the matter on that date, the trial will proceed accordingly.
“With the pronouncement of the Judge and his conduct of the trial so far, everybody will go home and see that Justice, real justice not abstract justice has been served.
Barrister Wole Efunnuga, the seventh defendant’s attorney, made the following submission: “The trial Judge did not just come up granting bail, there are precedent condition.
“The Judge looked at the issue holistically and he made it a point of duty to seek the opinion of the Prosecution counsel to ask if the decision is of the counsel.
”My learned counsel to use his discretion and the ruling represented the views of all the parties involved”.