Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Justice J.O. Bada of the Court of Appeal, Benin, on Friday, dismissed the bail application filed by an ex-policeman, Adeleke Adedeji, who is standing trial for allegedly torturing and killing a car dealer, Benson Obode, in 2015, for lack of merit.
Adeleke and three other policemen, Oniyo Musa, Abena John and Henry Shobowale were also accused of collecting the sum of N330,000 from the deceased’s account after allegedly killing him.
They were serving in the Special Anti Robbery Squad, Lagos State when they allegedly commited the offence.
It took the deceased’s family 63 days to locate the morgue where his corpse was deposited and labelled as Benson Agwu.
In June 13, 2018, counsel to Adeleke, Matthew Oghogho in an application supported by two paragraph affidavit, urged the court to grant his client bail to enable him seek proper medical attention.
Oghogho argued that what the prosecution has against his client was stealing and that the case of murder was yet to be established.
This the court refused and adjoined its ruling to June 22.
Justice J.O. Bada while delivering his ruling on the said bail application filed by Adeleke Adedeji, said there was no ground to grant him his bail.
“There is no strong ground upon which to exercise our discretion in respect of the application of bail in favour of the applicant, Adedeji Adeleke and such , the bail application cannot be granted”, the court held.
Counsel to Adeleke, Matthew Oghogho, however summed his point this way shortly after the court’s ruling on the matter “The court has delivered its ruling. The opinion of the court is that since the trial still continues in the trial court, we should go back to the trial court and conclude it there.
“So, the case is not over but what the court has just said is that it is premature to make application at this court at this stage”.