The federal government through the Inspector General of Police on Wednesday December 15, 2021 arraigned 15 suspects that who allegedly invaded the residence of Justice Mary Odili of Supreme Court before Justice Nkonye Maha of the federal high court Abuja on 18 count charge.
The defendants who on October 29, 2021 besieged Justice Odili’s home in Maitama district of Abuja were charged with offences of conspiracy, forgery , unlawful force entrance into the compound, impersonation etc.
The suspects are; Ajodo Lawrence ‘m’ (principal suspect), Michael Diete-Spiff ‘m’, Bar. Alex Onyekuru ‘m’, Bayero Lawal ‘m’, Bar. Igwe Ernest ‘m’, Aliyu Umar Ibrahim ‘m’, Maimuna Maishanu ‘f’, Ayodele Akindipe ‘m’, Yusuf Adamu ‘m’, Bashir Musa ‘m’, ASP Mohammed Yahaya ‘m’, Stanley Nkwazema ‘m’, Shehu Jibo ‘m’ and Abdullahi Adamu ‘m,’ and Abdullahi Usman.’m’.that were listed as in the charge as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th , 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th respectively .
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the amended charge when it was read to them by the clerk of court.
The prosecutor Matthew .O. Amosun (CSP) then applied to the Court for a trial date and for an order to remand the defendants in the custody of the Correctional centre.
But , Emmanuel Udalor counsel to the 1st defendant other defendants lawyers to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th ,5th ,6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th,11th 13th either moved their nails applications filed on December 13, or moved an oral application for bail.
The prosecution counsel in response said he was not oppose to their applications for bail and that he is leaving the issue of bail at the discretion of court.
Dr M.Y.Suleiman counsel to the 15 defendant also move an oral application for bail .
The invasion of Justice Odili’s home has attracted a lot of criticism from the apex court , Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and even politicians including some governor’s who roundly blamed the executive arm for harassing the judiciary.
Just on Monday , the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria at the valedictory Court session of late Chief judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu Kafarati, challenged the federal government to charge the suspects that were arrested in October to court.