- The court said that two of the sureties must own a landed property within the court jurisdiction of the Court or in Oyo State where he claimed to be a resident.
- Tani-Olohun would breathe the air of freedom and would be allowed to go home if he could meet the bail conditions.
After 91 days in the care of the Federal Correctional Service in the state capital of Ilorin, Abdulazeez Adegbola, commonly known as Tani Olohun, is a believer of traditional religion. On Thursday, a Kwara Chief Magistrates Court sitting in Ilorin finally granted release to Tani Olohun.
Tani Olohun was on trial in four separate lawsuits at three distinct state courts for alleged defamation.
He was charged with five counts of alleged criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbance, disturbing public peace, criminal defamation of character, and intentional insult before the Chief Magistrate Court. He was placed under arrest on August 17, 2023.
The prosecution claimed that the offence violated Nigeria’s penal codes, sections 97, 210, 392, and 114.
On identical accusations, he was also prosecuted before the Kwara state Upper Area Court, which was chaired by Mr. Sunday Adeniyi.
Additionally, in two different cases, One Sheilk Labeeb Lagbaji and Modirasatu Muhammad, under the direction of Professor Abubakar Aliagan, have brought him before Magistrate Mohammed Adam on charges of burning the Holy Quran and slandering Alhaji Labeeb Lagbaji, respectively.
He entered a not guilty plea to every allegation.
However, the Upper Area Court presided by Adeniyi, and the Chief Magistrate Court presided by Ibrahim admitted him to administrative bail on September 20 and October 24, 2023, respectively.
However, when the case came up before the Magistrate the court presided over by Magistrate Adam on Thursday, Tani Olohun was granted bail in the sum of N2 million and three sureties in the like sum in the two separate cases.
The court said that two of the sureties must own a landed property within the court jurisdiction of the Court or in Oyo State where he claimed to be a resident.
Tani-Olohun, while speaking in the open Court during the proceedings, pleaded for forgiveness from the Islamic scholars in Ilorin whom he had allegedly defamed and from all the Muslims all over the world saying that they should forgive him, promising never to repeat such an act of posting negative videos on his social media handles again.
While moving the bail application, Tani Olohun’s counsel, Mr. Ademola Bank said that his client had begged for forgiveness from Islamic Scholars and the entire Muslims all over the World and prayed the court to grant him bail in liberal terms.
Counsels to the two complainants, Labeeb Lagbaji and Modirasatu Mohammed Islamic group; Taofeeq Olateju and Y.Y Ajibade respectively did not oppose the bail application moved by Tani Olohun’s counsel.
If Tani-Olohun could fulfil the requirements of his bond, he would be released from custody and able to return home.
After the court session, Tani-Olohun’s attorney, Mr. Ademola Bank, disclosed that even if the bond requirements were strict, “We will struggle to meet all the conditions of the bail.”
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