A university don, Prof Ignatius Uduak, recently sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for electoral offences, has been granted bail on health grounds by a High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Thursday.
The presiding judge, Justice Okon Okon, admitted Uduak to bail following an application by his counsel, Chief Kalu Umeh (SAN).
Umeh prayed the court to grant Uduak bail to attend to his ailing health, pending the determination of the appeal against his conviction.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr Daniel Nwike, opposed the bail application and urged the court not to admit Uduak to bail.
Our correspondent recalled that an Uyo High Court, presided over by Justice Bassey Nkanang, had on 5 February sentenced Uduak to a three-year jail term.
The court found him guilty of electoral offences committed during the 2019 election in Essien Udim, Akwa Ibom State.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Okon admitted Uduak to bail in the sum of N2 million, with two sureties.
The judge added that the applicant must not travel out of the country during the period of the bail and should deposit his international passport with the court.
Speaking on behalf of Uduak’s legal team, Sen Ita Enang thanked the court for admitting their client to bail while the appeal against his conviction remained ongoing.
He promised to expedite action to meet the bail conditions so that the applicant could be released to treat himself, pending the appeal.
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