The Effurun Division of the Delta State High Court has granted bail to sixty-nine individuals who were arrested on August 27 in the Ekpan community, Uvwie LGA of the state during a gay wedding ceremony.
The suspects’ attorney, Ochuko Ohimor, revealed on Tuesday in Warri that the bail conditions required them to provide N500,000 in addition to two sureties each.
Ohimor further explained that the sureties must be residents within the Effurun court’s jurisdiction and must sign an undertaking at the court, where the suspects were initially arraigned on September 4.
“The suspects were granted bail at a cost of N500,000 and two sureties each. The sureties must reside within the Effurun jurisdiction,” Ohimor said
Police prosecutor Vincent Orarumen had opposed the bail condition, but their lawyer argued otherwise, saying the alleged crime was not a capital offence.
The suspects were paraded on August 29 at the Ekpan Police Station at the instance of Police Commissioner Wale Abass. They were arrested while allegedly conducting a gay wedding ceremony tagged ‘all white party’.
“I can guarantee that they will be charged to court. We are not taking it lightly. It is a clear case, though, they are still presumed innocent until proven otherwise by the competent court,” Abass had said following the arrest.