Alleged rapist gets bail variation

An FCT High Court in Maitama has varied the bail conditions earlier given to a 35-year-old man, Bernard Omotola, who allegedly defiled a five-year-old girl. The police had docked Omotola on a one count charge of defilement of a minor. He earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him and was admitted to […]

An FCT High Court in Maitama has varied the bail conditions earlier given to a 35-year-old man, Bernard Omotola, who allegedly defiled a five-year-old girl.

The police had docked Omotola on a one count charge of defilement of a minor.

He earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him and was admitted to bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.

The sureties, according to the court, must be titled and developed landed property owners within its jurisdiction and with valid addresses to be verified by the court’s deputy registrar.

Omotola was ordered to be remanded in prison pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.

He, however, approached the court through his counsel, to vary the conditions, claiming that he was unable to meet the conditions set for his bail.

Ruling yesterday on the application for the variation of the bail conditions, the presiding judge, Justice Jude Okeke, held that the conditions set by the court were in view of the gravity of the offence alleged to have been committed by the defendant.

If found guilty, Omotola would be sentenced to life imprisonment, according to the judge.

While noting that bail was not meant to set the defendant free, Okeke held that bail was to ensure that he was available at all times to face trial.

The judge held that the applicant failed to tell the court which of the conditions he found difficult to meet in the conditions earlier set for his bail by the court.

Justice Okeke, nonetheless, varied the conditions for the defendant, ordering that he should now produce one surety instead of two earlier set, with the other conditions remaining as earlier set by the court.

He then adjourned the matter to January 20 for trial.