A Kwara Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday finally granted bail to Abdulazeez Adegbola also known as Tani Olohun, a traditional religion devotee, after spending 91 days in the custody of the Federal Correctional Service in Ilorin, the state capital.
Tani Olohun was standing trial for alleged defamation in four different cases in three different courts in the state.
He had been in detention since August 17, 2023, when he was arraigned before Magistrate Mohammed Ibrahim on a 5-count charge of alleged criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbance, disturbance of public peace, criminal defamation of character, and intentional insult before the Chief Magistrate Court.
The offence, according to the prosecution, was contrary to sections 97, 210, 392, and 114 of the penal code law of Nigeria.
He was also arraigned before the Kwara State Upper Area Court presided over by Mr Sunday Adeniyi on similar charges.
Also in two separate cases, One Sheilk Labeeb Lagbaji and Modirasatu Muhammed led by Professor Abubakar Aliagan also dragged him before Magistrate Mohammed Adam for alleged defamation of Alhaji Labeeb Lagbaji and burning of the Holy Quran respectively.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
However, the Upper Area Court presided over by Adeniyi, and the Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Ibrahim admitted him to administrative bail on September 20 and October 24, 2023, respectively.
However, when the case came up before the Magistrate Court presided over by Magistrate Adam on Thursday, Tani Olohun was granted bail in the sum of N2 million and three sureties in like sum in the two separate cases.
The court said that two of the sureties must own a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court or in Oyo State where he claimed to be a resident.
Tani-Olohun, while speaking in the open court during the proceedings, pleaded for forgiveness from the Islamic scholars in Ilorin whom he had allegedly defamed and from all the Muslims all over the world, saying that they should forgive him, promising never to repeat such an act of posting negative videos on his social media handles again.
While moving the bail application, Tani Olohun’s counsel, Mr. Ademola Bank said that his client had begged for forgiveness from Islamic Scholars and the entire Muslims all over the World and prayed the court to grant him bail in liberal terms.
Counsels to the two complainants, Labeeb Lagbaji and Modirasatu Mohammed Islamic group; Taofeeq Olateju and Y. Y. Ajibade respectively did not oppose the bail application moved by Tani Olohun’s counsel.
Tani Olohun would breathe the air of freedom and would be allowed to go home if he could meet the bail conditions.
Tani-Olohun’s counsel, Mr Ademola Bank while speaking with PUNCH correspondent after the court sitting said that though the bail conditions were stringent, he assured that “We will struggle to meet all the conditions of the bail”.
