Baffled, day Judge ceded to DPO influence to deny clients’ bail
Balogun Oloyede Mujahid secured admission to read Law at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State in 2007, he graduated in 2013 and was called to the Nigerian Bar the following year. He was given exception letter for exceeding required age for NYSC. He’s currently practising with Bashir Adesoye Oladipo & Co in the state capital. He shares with our JUDICIARY CORRESPONDENT, KAYODE ADEOTI his most overwhelming day in court as legal practitioner
I cannot forget in a hurry the day a judge denied my client’s bail. That day, the judge specifically informed me that one Divisional Police Officer (DPO) instructed him that he will arraign my client and also ensure that he’s jailed. In my mind, I said the DPO will not determine the outcome of the matter, he can only charge the suspect to court.
Unfortunately on this fateful day in court, the judge said, if he had met me earlier, he would have obliged me the bail reiterating that he was called by a DPO to refuse the bail and that he had no choice than to do so. I was baffled that day and I blamed our Judicial system because I could not imagine how a DPO will influence a sitting judge. The judge did not even consider my application for the bail at any point.
There are some facts that are better kept but the Judge told me pointblank that he was compelled to act in that manner. I was highly disturbed and felt bad over the development.
