A Federal High court sitting in Calabar and presided over by Justice Sule Shuaibu has admitted journalist and rights activist, Agba Jalingo to bail.
This was after Justice Simon Amobeda had denied him bail on October 4 and 30, 2019 as well as 175 days after his arrest on August 22, 2019.
The bail was granted after pleading not guilty to the 4 charges preferred against him bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, cultism and attempts to topple the Cross River State Government.
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However, Counsel for Jalingo and former Cross River State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Attah Ochinke moved the motion for bail with the prosecution counsel, Tanko Ashang refusing to oppose it.
In his ruling, Justice Shuaibu set the bail bond at N10 million with one surety in like sum.
The surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and his address must be physically verified. Also, he must show means that he will be able to forfeit the bail bond.
The Judge also ruled that the surety is expected to deposit N700,000 cash with the Registrar of the Court who will then pay it into an interest yielding account with a commercial bank while Jalingo must seek the permission of court to travel out of the country if he wants to travel.
He said Jalingo must depose to an oath that he will be available in court while he and his surety must present two passport photographs.
Justice Shuaibu ordered that the proceedings of the court on the matter shall not be a matter of public discourse.
He subsequently adjourned the matter to the 6th, 7th and 8th of April 2020 for the prosecution to open and close its case while other motions may be treated before that day.
