…suspects arraigned, granted bail
Justice Efe Ikponmwoba of the Edo State Criminal Court 1 has granted bail to 10 suspects alleged to be printing and selling fake Edo State revenue receipts to unsuspecting transporters.
The trial judge granted the suspects bail to the tune of a million naira, a surety residing within the jurisdiction of the court, who should not be less than a grade level 10 officer with one year of tax clearance.
The trial Judge also ordered that the surety must sign an undertaking that the suspects must not engage in any act similar to that they were arraigned for or any act capable of breaching public peace.
Justice lkponmwoba gave the order after listening to arguments from the defence counsel, Mathew Oghogho that the offence was bailable, anchoring his argument on section 295 of the constitution. However, the prosecution counsel argued that the suspects may engage in acts capable of breaching public peace and continue their illegal activities of defrauding the State.
It would be recalled that the 10 suspects were arrested in mid-October by the Edo State Commissioner of Police surveillance team in the Ogheghe/Sapele Road and Oluku/Lagos Road axis of Benin City.
Those arraigned include Rhenor Ogenekouvo, Erharuyi Osayomore, Okoh Sunday, Ebi Solomon, Evobe Samson and Imariabe Ewansiha.
Others are Osagioduwa Samson, Aigbe Friday, Friday Johnson and Monday Dede Kuma.