Again! Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo speaks from prison, accuses court registrar of stalling her release
By Rita Chioma,
Embattled daughter of former Oyo state governor, Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo has accused the chief registrar attached to the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court of sitting on her case in order to keep her perpetually behind bars, despite allegedly met her bail conditions.
Ms. Omololu-Olunloyo spoke from inside Port Harcourt Prison where she has been remanded since her initial arraignment in mid-March for alleged criminal defamation against a Port-Harcourt-based preacher, David Ibiyeomie.
Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES inside the office of the Comptroller of Prisons in Rivers State, Ifeanyi Amaliri, recently, Ms. Omololu-Olunloyo stated that her lawyers had satisfied all bail requirements set by H.I.O. Shamah, a federal judge, who granted her bail on April 11.
She said she had strong indications to believe the deputy chief registrar was sitting on her case on alleged orders of some powerful interests.
But the court registrar said the accused’s bail paperwork was still being perfected by her lawyers, with whom she said she had been in constant touch with.
Maimunat Folami, the Deputy Chief Registrar, strongly denied the allegations, stating that her office had cooperated fully with Ms. Omololu-Olunloyo’s counsel to ensure proper vetting of her bail documents.
Ms. Folami also said Ms. Omololu-Olunloyo’s case file was taken away the last time her matter was heard on May 23. Although the judge was absent, the case file was not returned to her office, causing further delay in working out the final details of her release.
Peter Nkanga, the West Africa representative of the U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists, condemned Ms. Omololu-Olunloyo’s continued incarceration for over 78 days and counting, despite meeting all bail conditions since May 11.
“It is an outrage that the judiciary can be taking over three weeks and counting to verify her bail requirements, at the expense of her freedom,” he said. Fatai Lawal of Afe Babalola Chambers, which is representing Ms. Omololu-Olunloyo, said they’re confident about her possible release this week.
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