A Court in Abuja Grants Bail to Social Media Commentator Justice Chidibele
A Federal High Court in Abuja has approved bail for social media commentator Justice Chidibele, widely known as Justice Crack, set at five million naira (₦5 million). The bail was facilitated by his new attorney, Sam Amadi. Notably, the lawyer representing Mr. Sowore, Marshall Abubakar, was absent during the proceedings.
Conditions Imposed by the Court
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik announced several stringent conditions that must be met before the bail can take effect. One of the primary requirements is that the proposed guarantor must have resided at a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction for at least four years and must submit proof of residence to the court’s registry through either a lease agreement or a certificate of occupancy.
Employment and Financial Requirements for the Guarantor
In addition, the guarantor must be a federal civil servant at a grade level of 15 or higher. They are required to provide documentation demonstrating at least three months of salary payments, a letter of authorization from their department head, and proof of employment that qualifies for pension benefits. The guarantor must also present an affidavit of means and a recent passport photograph at the Registry.
Restrictions on the Defendant
Moreover, the court issued a directive for Justice Chidibele to surrender his international passport to the court until the conclusion of the case.
Trial Proceedings Begin with First Prosecution Witness
During the initial proceedings, prosecuting attorney ML Aboi stated that the prosecution was ready to commence the trial. The first witness, identified as DSS operative Oronto Douglas, took the stand. Douglas testified that he became acquainted with the accused during the investigation, following his transfer from the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps to the Department of State Services (DSS).
Testimonies and Evidence Presented
The witness claimed that the defendant voluntarily provided an extrajudicial statement, which was recorded in the presence of a Legal Aid Council lawyer. He further asserted that certain soldiers had shared photos with the accused, who then converted these images into videos for social media without verifying their authenticity with military officials. A forensic examination of the defendant’s mobile phone reportedly uncovered online postings, conversations between the defendant and soldiers, chats involving discussions about protests, and various social media excerpts.
Challenges Raised by the Defense
Following the testimony, defense attorney Sam Amadi informed the court that they had not received pertinent investigation reports or documents the prosecution intended to submit. In response, the prosecution acknowledged the oversight and issued an apology. The judge then accepted the DSS investigation report as Exhibit A. Additionally, the prosecution introduced an iPhone allegedly belonging to the defendant, along with videos, conversations retrieved from the device, and a flash drive containing compliance certificates. However, the defense contested the admissibility of the flash drive, arguing that its contents had not been presented in an appropriate format for evaluation.
Adjournment for Further Trial
Judge Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the case until May 25, allowing the legal proceedings to continue at that time.
