The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted N20 million bail each to a traditional ruler, Taofeeq Olaposi Osunmakinde, and three others in a case related to alleged illegal gold mining in Ondo State, totalling N80 million.
The bail was granted to Osunmakinde, Sheu Mustapha, Sabiru Hashim, Danbaba Ibrahim, and Ade Olap Global Resources Limited by Justice Emeka Nwite following their arraignment on Monday, September 9, 2024.
They were charged by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, with alleged illegal mining activities in contravention of the Miscellaneous Offences Act and other relevant laws.
What transpired in Court
At the resumed proceedings on Monday, the defendants were arraigned in Case No: FHC/ABJ/CR/426/2024.
According to the charge sheet read out by the court registrar, the defendants were found at an illegal mining site within Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, conspiring to mine gold without lawful approval from the appropriate authority.
This development was said to have occurred on August 25, 2024, within the court’s jurisdiction.
They were also accused of undertaking mining activities for gold, one of Nigeria’s mineral resources, without lawful authority.
The prosecution argued that illegal mining is punishable under Nigerian laws.
However, after the charge was read to the four defendants, they pleaded not guilty.
After their plea, the defendants’ lawyer, Vincent Ododo, urged Justice Emeka Nwite to grant his clients bail on liberal terms.
He contended that the alleged offences highlighted by the AGF were bailable under the laws of the land.
He also stated that bail is a fundamental right since his clients are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court.
On the part of the prosecution, the legal team sought bail conditions that would ensure the defendants’ appearance in court during the trial.
What the Judge Said
- Ruling on the bail application, Justice Nwite granted each of the four defendants N20 million bail with one surety each.
- He said the sureties must own landed properties and provide proof of a three-year tax clearance certificate.
- Nwite also ruled that the court registry must verify the addresses of the sureties and the properties.
- The judge ordered the defendants to submit their international passports to the court.
- He subsequently remanded them at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the defendants’ lawyer’s perfection of the bail conditions.
- The matter was then adjourned to September 26, 2024, for the commencement of the trial.