*Ogbonna and wide Abimbola Martins when the going was good Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay of a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Squar...
*Ogbonna and wide Abimbola Martins when the going was good
Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay of a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) has reserved ruling in an application seeking the release of an auto dealer, Ikechukwu Ogbonna accused of causing the death of his wife, Abimbola Martins Ogbonna in a fire incident.
The applicant/defendant had approached the court for temporary reprieve from prison custody on Thursday.
He had sought from the court a request for bail to quash the order of the lower court remanding him in custody pending transfer of his case to the high court.
His ground for bail application was to enable him care for his children.
Ogbonna was earlier remanded by an Ebute-Metta Magistrate court over a manslaughter charge slammed on him by Lagos State Government following the death of his wife at their Lekki residence last October.
While moving the application for bail on his behalf, the counsel to the applicant, Victor Ogunde (SAN), prayed the court to grant his client bail to enable him support his children financially.
Ogunde (SAN) claimed that the charge of manslaughter was bailable, therefore his client should be release from remand.
In an affidavit in support of the bail request deposed to by Ogbonna’s brother, Ifeanyi Elvis Ogbonna, he said the applicant was emotionally and psychological drained in custody without being arraigned.
But the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Dr. Babajide Martins opposed the application.
He submitted to the court that Ogbonna was a flight risk and could flee from justice if granted bail based on the severity of the punishment for the offence.
“It is trite that offences that attract capital punishment are ordinarily not bailable except on special and compelling circumstances of a life threatening ailment.”
Dr. Martins also argued that applicant’s counsel has not shown any compelling reason why his client should be admitted to bail.
After listening to the arguments by both counsel, Justice Nicole-Clay adjourned to February 23, 2023 to deliver a ruling.
Ogbonna risks a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted.
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