Tani Olohun
Tani Olohun granted bail at last. A Kwara Chief Magistrates Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday finally granted bail to Abdulazeez Adegbola also known as Tani Olohun, a traditional religion devotee after spending 91 days in the custody of the Federal Correctional Service in Ilorin, the state capital.
Tani Olohun was standing trial for alleged defamation in four different cases in three different courts in the state.
He had been in detention since August 17, 2023, when he was arraigned before Magistrate Mohammed Ibrahim on five-count charges of alleged criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbance, disturbance of public peace, criminal defamation of character, and intentional insult before the Chief Magistrate Court.
The offence according to the prosecution was contrary to sections 97, 210, 392, and 114 of the penal code law of Nigeria.
On similar accusations, he was again prosecuted before the Kwara state Upper Area Court, presided over by Mr Sunday Adeniyi.
In two different lawsuits, One Sheilk Labeeb Lagbaji and Modirasatu Muhammed, both led by Professor Abubakar Aliagan, have taken him to Magistrate Mohammed Adam for claimed defamation of Alhaji Labeeb Lagbaji and burning of the Holy Quran.
He entered a not guilty plea to all counts.
However, on September 20 and October 24, 2023, the Upper Area Court presided over by Adeniyi and the Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Ibrahim granted him administrative bail.
However, when the case came up before the Magistrate the court presided over by Magistrate Adam on Thursday, Tani Olohun was granted bail in the sum of N2 million and three sureties in the like sum in the two separate cases.
The court said that two of the sureties must own a landed property within the court jurisdiction of the Court or in Oyo State where he claimed to be a resident.
Tani-Olohun pleaded for forgiveness from the Islamic scholars in Ilorin whom he had allegedly defamed, as well as from all Muslims around the world, saying that they should forgive him and promising never to repeat such an act of posting negative videos on his social media handles again.
Tani Olohun’s counsel, Mr. Ademola Bank, moved the bail motion, saying that his client had requested pardon from Islamic Scholars and Muslims all over the world, and asked the court to grant him bail on liberal terms.
Counsels to the two complainants, Labeeb Lagbaji and Modirasatu Mohammed Islamic group; Taofeeq Olateju and Y.Y Ajibade respectively did not oppose the bail application moved by Tani Olohun’s
Tani-Olohun would breathe the air of freedom and would be allowed to go home if he could meet the bail conditions.
Tani-Olohun’s Counsel, Mr Ademola Bank while speaking with PUNCH correspondent after the court sitting said that though the bail conditions were stringent assured that “We will struggle to meet all the conditions of the bail”.