Surety faces N500,000 bail for absence of brother
The defendant failed to produce her brother in court on Sept. 13 and other subsequent dates.
A 31-year-old woman, Vivian Mokwuenye, who allegedly stood surety for her brother but failed to produce him in court as required, on Friday appeared at an Ejigbo Magistrates' Court, Lagos.
The defendant, whose residential address was not provided, is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on preventing the cause of Justice.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Insp Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the defendant stood surety for her brother, one Ekene Mokwuenye, who was standing trial in charge no. MM/E/181/2020, on Dec. 31, 2020, at 10:00a.m., at Chief Magistrate Court 1, Ejigbo, Lagos.
According to the prosecutor, the defendant promised to ensure that her brother attended court proceedings whenever required.
"The defendant failed to produce her brother in court on Sept. 13 and other subsequent dates.
"She should show cause why the N500,000 bail bond she entered into as a surety should not be forfeited to the government," he said.
Aigbokhan said the offences contravened Section 132 of the Adminstration of Criminal Justice Law, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 and Section 97 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The Magistrate, Mr E. O. Ogunkanmi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and have their addresses verified.
Ogunkanmi adjourned the case until March 25, for mention.