A Federal High Court, in Osogbo yesterday granted N20 million bail to
Babatunde Oluajo, an alleged blackmailer who defrauded an Osun state
lawmaker, Timothy Owoeye.
Justice Maurine Onyetenu, in her ruling on the bail application filed
by defence counsel, Mr Jimmy Jones, ordered the accused to produce two
sureties in like sum.
Onyetenu also ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant
not beyond Grade Level 14 .
She adjourned the case until February 13 for hearing of the substantive matter.
Meanwhile, the police had disclosed that the accused is charged with
allegedly defrauding an Osun lawmaker of N38 million and dubiously
recording a video showing him naked.
The offence, the police said was committed on September 16 at Osunjela area.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Moses Faremi, urged the court to
discountenance the bail application by the defence counsel, on grounds
that the accused will not attend his trial if granted bail.
Faremi told the court that Oluajo masterminded the act that led to
lawmaker being defrauded.
Faremi further said the defendant had a confessional statement with
the police and had also returned some of the money he collected from
the lawmaker.
He urged the court to discountenance the bail application by the
defence counsel, adding that the defendant would not stand his trial
if granted bail.
Defence counsel, had prayed the court to overrule the application of
the prosecution and grant his client bail in the most liberal terms.
