A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna yesterday granted bail to the Chairman of Soba Local Government Council in Kaduna State, Hon. Ibrahim Kawu Yakasai, to the sum of N10m and two sureties in the same amount. Yakasai is standing trial for allegedly forging an educational certificate.

Delivering the ruling on the bail application, the presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike, said each of the sureties must also possess landed property within the court’s jurisdiction. She directed the sureties to deposit their international passports with the court and to also show evidence of tax payment for the past three years.

The ruling came after an application filed via a motion on notice brought before the court by the counsel the accused person, Barr. Habib A.

He urged the court to grant the accused bail based on personal recognition as the sitting chairman of a local government in the state and the fact that the accused person came to the court on his own. All these, according to Habib, point to the fact that Yakasai would never jump bail and would always make himself available throughout the trial.

The prosecution counsel, ASP Samuel Malum, however, objected to the bail application, arguing that the accused person would use his position in the society to affect the prosecution of the case against him and thus hinder the cause of justice.

In her 45 minutes ruling, Justice Anyadike said the grounds of objection raised by the prosecution counsel were not supported with evidence. She, therefore, granted the accused bail.

The embattled LG Chairman, a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was dragged to court by the Inspector General of Police for certificate forgery.

He was accused of allegedly presenting ‘O’ Level West African Examination Certificate from Barewa College Zaria to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2009 when he contest for the Maigana constituency in Kaduna State House of Assembly, thus acting to deceive the public about his educational status. The case has been adjourned to February 2 and 3, 2015.

•Photo shows IGP Suleiman Abba, who is prosecuting Hon. Yakasai.

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