TheCable

A federal high court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to four defendants being tried alongside Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The defendants are Benjamin Madubugwu, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, national coordinator of IPOB; Bright Chimeze, and David Nwawuisi — all IPOB members.

They are facing trial on three-count charge bothering on treasonable felony.

The defendants were being tried alongside Kanu also for alleged treason, but his absence in previous court sittings had prompted the federal government to file separate charges against them.

At the court’s sitting on Monday, Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, acceded to a bail application filed by their clients on grounds of their health condition and prolonged stay in detention.

The judge granted each of them bail of N10 million and ordered them to produce two sureties in like sum.

She also barred them from granting any interview to the press or appearing in a public gathering, similar to the conditions given to Kanu when he was granted bail last year.

In May 2017, Chimezie was granted bail by the federal high court in Uyo but he has remained in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) since then.

Condemning his continued detention, the judge noted the four defendants had spent an average of three years in custody when the penalty for their alleged offences ranges from five to seven years.

As part of their bail conditions, she also ordered the four of them to report to the commissioner of police in their respective states every two weeks.

Nyako was the judge who granted Kanu bail in April last year.