Lagos NURTW Crisis: Kunle Poly Gets N1m Bail, As Court Transfers Case

The Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW Lagos Island Branch B Azeez Lawal (a.k.a Kunle Poly), has been granted bail by the Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos.

Kunle Poly was earlier charged with murder and has been in dentention before he was granted bail in the sum of one million Naira on Monday.

The NURTW Chairman, is charged along with one Adekanbi Wahab, 38.

Chief Magistrate, Linda Balogun, also transferred the case to a high court, stating that a prima facie case had been established against the defendants.

According to Balogun, Lawal, aged 48, is to be tried for accessory after the fact to murder while Wahab will face trial for membership of an unlawful society.

The Chief Magistrate added that the DPP advised that three other defendants, whose names were mentioned in the advice though they were charged separately from the two defendants, should be discharged.

She transferred the case to a high court.

Following an application by counsel to both defendants, Mr Adeshina Okulana, who told the court that the defendants had been in custody for 78 days, the chief magistrate granted each of them one million Naira bail.

Balogun also ordered that the defendants should produce two sureties each as part of the bail condition.

She held that one of the sureties must be a traditional ruler or religious leader, adding that both sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

She held that a self-employed person would not stand as the surety, adding that any civil servant wishing to stand as the surety must get a letter from the Head of Service of Lagos State.

Balogun adjourned the case until May 11 for the report on the filing of the case at a high court.

The defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder and membership of an unlawful society.

They were remanded for an initial period of 30 days on Jan. 27 and another 30 days on Feb. 28.