Following the bail application of her counsel, Fatai. O. Lawal, online journalist and blogger, Kemi Olunloyo has today been granted bail by a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt. The court also granted Samuel Walson, publisher of a local tabloid in Port Harcourt, Rivers State bail.
Olunloyo, who had been remanded in Port Harcourt prison for the past one month, was granted bail in the sum of N1 million.
The trial Judge, Justice H.I.O Shamah, who delivered ruling, on Tuesday, said the Court exercised discretionary power and, also, because the offence for which she was arraigned was bailable. The court also struck out one of the charges on cyber crime against Kemi Omolulu Olonloyo for lack of jurisdiction to try the matter.
Reading the long list of bail conditions, Justice Shamah said the accused must produce a surety in like sum, adding that the surety must be resident in Port Harcourt metropolis and the person’s address must be verifiable.
Also, the surety, if a civil servant, should not be below Level 12 and must submit his or her letter of employment, as well as staff identity card.
The surety would also sign an undertaking to ensure the accused person did not jump bail and to bring her to court on adjourned dates.
He added that the accused person must submit her international passport to the court and sign an undertaking never to influence the court proceedings and to appear in court any day the matter is adjourned.
It will be recalled that the journalist/blogger was arrested by security operatives in Ibadan over a material published online and believed to have offended a frontline Port Harcourt-based cleric.
The matter has been adjourned to May 4 for hearing.
