An Igbosere High Court in Lagos at the weekend granted bail to a lawyer, Chidi Uzoije Amadi, accused of obtaining N4.5million from his client by false pretence and jumping bail.
Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay admitted Amadi to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in the like sum.
The judge’s ruling followed Amadi’s re-arraignment and remand on November 20, on a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.
The Lagos State Government alleged that Amadi had jumped bail in the same matter at the lower court and was thus a flight risk.
But in her ruling, Justice Nicol-Clay exercised her discretion for bail in Amadi’s favour.
The judge held: “The Defendant/Applicant is a legal practitioner who has credible sureties to stand for his bail. Learned counsel to the Defendant/Applicant submitted that being a lawyer, he has nowhere to hide, that he never jumped ball at the magistrates’ court, that he made a publication in the Daily Trust of July 2017 and also wrote a letter to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) notifying the NBA of his change of name, that this is not the conduct of someone trying to hide his identity. I shall exercise my discretion in his favour and grant him bail.”
The judge also ordered that one of the sureties must be his wife, “who is also a lawyer. She is to deposit her Call to Bar Certificate with the deputy chief registrar of the court.
“The other surety shall be a civil servant on level 13 or above, whose employment status is to be confirmed by the Head of Service, must not be a school teacher, or local government worker.”
The sureties’ homes must be verified, while they must also produce evidence of three years’ tax payment, Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) cards and evidence of payment of tenement rates.
Amadi was also ordered to deposit his international passport or other travel documents, while “the address at which the defendant is to reside during his trial is to be verified.”
The Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), on November 20, arraigned Amadi on a charge, marked LD/5648c/2017.
It alleged that Amadi obtained N4.5million from a businessman, Augustine Chigbo Okoro, in 2013, on the pretext that he could secure him 20 plots of land at the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State, for N200,000 per plot.
He allegedly failed to do so, did not return the money and, according to the government, fled after being granted bail.
Prosecution counsel Mrs. K.O. Sarumi said the alleged offences contravened sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Amadi pleaded not guilty.
The defendant’s wife, Ngozi Chidi-Obinwanne, applied for a date to hear his bail application.
But Sarumi opposed her. She notified the judge that the defendant was a flight risk and prayed the court to remand him for trial.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendant absconded soon after he was granted bail in the same matter by an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in 2016.
She told Justice Nicol-Clay that Amadi moved from his residence at Amuwo-Odofin and also relocated his law firm, Chidi Uzoije Amadi & Co., to an unknown location.
The court heard that the state filed a case against him at the high court, but Amadi failed to appear, following which a bench warrant for his arrest was issued last April.
According to the prosecutor, Amadi was neither seen nor heard from until November 13, when, following a tip-off, he was re-arrested at Epe.
The court heard that Amadi allegedly moved to Ajah area of Lagos and now practises law under a new name: Chidi Uzoije Obinwanne.
The prosecutor said investigation was ongoing to determine the defendant’s current identity, residence and place of work.
Justice Nicol-Clay remanded Amadi in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Ikoyi and adjourned till March 27 to hear his bail application.
On February 5, 2016, the Police Federal Criminal Intelligence Investigation Department (FCIID) Alagbon, Lagos, arraigned Amadi at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court on a one-count charge bordering on fraud.
Prosecution counsel Mr. Ezekiel Upah, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said sometime in 2013, Amadi promised a businessman, Augustine Chigbo Okoro, that he could secure him 20 plots of land at the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State, for N200,000 per plot.
He said Amadi failed to provide the land but did not return Okoro’s money.
Amadi pleaded not guilty.
Senior Magistrate H. O. Amos granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in the like sum.
He remanded the defendant in prison custody pending the fulfilment of the bail terms and adjourned till March 3, 2015 for mention.
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