A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ court in Lagos on Tuesday, December 21, admitted five Dowen College students, charged with the alleged murder of their 12-year-old schoolmate to bail in the sum of N1million each.
The police charged the Dowen College boys who are minors with conspiracy and homicide.
Chief magistrate Olatunbosun Adeola, after hearing the bail application from the defendants’ counsel, ordered the defendants to produce two sureties each in like sum.
Adeola said that one of each of the defendants’ sureties must be their parent, and must swear an affidavit of compliance.
She further held that the international passports of all the defendants must be submitted to the court, their residence must be verified by the prosecutor and they must stay within 2km of their residence at all times.
Defence counsel, Miss Ifeoma Eson, Mr A.E. Amah, Mr Godwin Omoaka (SAN), Mr Eze Ajibo represented Begue and Mr Micheal Ayinla were in court for the minors.
Report has it that the defendants were on Dec. 9, remanded in a juvenile home over the death of their Dowen College schoolmate who was allegedly attacked in a case of bullying while in school.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has advised Nigerians against patronising touts and unscrupulous officials when applying for passports.
Aregbesola gave the advice in Ibadan on Monday, December 20, during the rollout of the enhanced e-passport and inauguration of the Ibadan passport production Centre.
He said that patronising touts and unscrupulous passport officials did not always end well but rather defeated the purpose of eliminating corruption and infusing integrity to the passport administration process.
The minister said that the ministry observed with regret that applicants still patronised touts and unscrupulous officials to beat the system and get expedited services.
Aregbesola said that the payment for Nigerian passports had been digitalised.
“When they are disappointed, they come to report to us. Of course, we have zero tolerance for corruption and subversion of due process.
“We take seriously any such report and invoke the necessary disciplinary measures.
“I will implore applicants to stop patronising touts and our officials directly. Follow the process we put in place; apply for passports and pay online.
“The only engagement with our staff is the enrolment of your biometrics,” he said.
