Surety hid in sack to evade arrest, court told

From Eugene Agha, Lagos An Ejigbo chief magistrate’s court has ordered the remand of a clergyman, Rev. Clement Obi, in prison for failing to present an accused person he stood surety for in a criminal case. The clergyman, the prosecutor Kenneth Asibor said, took one Madubuko Chukwuma on bail in a case of tricycle theft. […]

From Eugene Agha, Lagos

An Ejigbo chief magistrate’s court has ordered the remand of a clergyman, Rev. Clement Obi, in prison for failing to present an accused person he stood surety for in a criminal case.

The clergyman, the prosecutor Kenneth Asibor said, took one Madubuko Chukwuma on bail in a case of tricycle theft.

The prosecutor said the incident occurred at Ijaye Oba Street in Ijedodo, Lagos State.

He said Chukwuma was charged over theft of a tricycle belonging to one Prince Orji.

He said: “My Lord the first accused, Madubuko, was granted bail and remanded in prison custody. The said cleric, Rev. Obi, who claimed to be the Anglican Church’s resident pastor at Ijedodo Parish, came to court and facilitated the release of Madubuko Chukwuma during which he stood as surety for him for the perfection of his bail.

“A trial date was fixed but Mr. Chukwuma and the surety did not show up in court to face trial. The court then issued a bench warrant against him and his surety ordering the prosecutor to arrest the surety.”

The prosecutor further claimed that the clergyman’s wife always claimed that her husband had travelled anytime he visited.

He said the trick by the surety’s wife was exposed when he led police officers to the surety’s apartment during which he insisted that they must search the house to be sure that the surety was truly not around.

“During the house search, behold the clergyman was found tucked inside a sack hidden inside a wardrobe that was covered with cloths,” he said.

Obi was later charged before the Ejigbo magistrate’s court for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace by perverting the course of justice and aiding Chukwuma’s escape.

He pleaded not guilty.

The presiding magistrate, Mr. L.K.J. Layeni, granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. He was remanded in prison pending meeting his bail condition.

The matter was adjourned to October 3, 2018.