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 went on trial for alleged defamation in four separate lawsuits in three different courts throughout the state.
He had been detained since August 17, 2023, when he was charged with five counts of alleged criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbance, disturbing public peace, criminal defamation of character, and intentional insult before the Chief Magistrate Court.
According to the prosecutor, the offence violated sections 97, 210, 392 and 114 of the criminal code.
He was also arraigned before the Kwara state Upper Area Court presided by Mr Sunday Adeniyi on similar charges.
Also in two separate cases, One Sheilk Labeeb Lagbaji and Modirasatu Muhammed led by Professor Abubakar Aliagan have also dragged him before Magistrate Mohammed Adam for alleged defamation of Alhaji Labeeb Lagbaji and burning of the Holy Quran respectively.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
However, the Upper Area Court presided by Adeniyi, and the Chief Magistrate Court presided by Ibrahim admitted him to administrative bail on September 20 and October 24, 2023, respectively.
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, while speaking in the open Court during the proceedings, pleaded for forgiveness from the Islamic scholars in Ilorin whom he had allegedly defamed and from all the Muslims all over the world saying that they should forgive him, promising never to repeat such an act of posting negative videos on his social media handles again.
While moving the bail application, Tani Olohun’s counsel, Mr. Ademola Bank said that his client had begged for forgiveness from Islamic Scholars and the entire Muslims all over the World and prayed the court to grant him bail in 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 counsel.
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 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”.