Justice Sule Shuaibu of the Federal High Court, Calabar in Cross River State, has granted bail to detained journalist, Agba Jalingo, in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum. He spent 175 days in detention before he was finally granted bail
Jalingo has been facing a four-count charge bordering on terrorism and treason. The fresh freedom that came his way this Thursday did not come on a platter of gold as the judge attached stringent conditions.
According to the Justice Shuaibu, Jalingo must not travel outside the country without the consent of the court, deposit refundable cash of N700,000 with the court registrar, who will pay it into an interest-yielding account with a commercial bank, and the surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court with a verifiable address and show means that he will be able to forfeit the bail bond.
Other conditions are that both the defendant and the surety must each submit two passport photographs to the court, and Jalingo must depose to an oath that he will be available in court for trials.
Former judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, excused himself twice on the case and the Cross River State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Tanko Ashang, took over the case.
The judge adjourned the matter to the 6th, 7th and 8th of April 2020 for the prosecution to open and close its case while other motions may be treated before that day.
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