By Isaiah Eka
A High Court in Uyo on Thursday granted bail to Prof. Ignatius Uduk, who was recently sentenced to three years jail term for electoral offences.
The presiding judge, Justice Okon Okon admitted Uduk to bail following an application for bail on Thursday, by his counsel, Chief Kalu Umeh (SAN).
Umeh prayed the court to grant Uduk bail to enable him to take care of his ailing health, pending the determination of the appeal against his conviction.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr Daniel Nwike, opposed the bail application, and urged the court not to admit Uduk to bail.
It would be recalled that an Uyo High Court presided by Justice Bassey Nkanang, on February 5, sentenced Uduk to three years jail term.
The court found him guilty of electoral offences committed during the 2019 election in Essien Udin Constituency, Akwa Ibom.
Uduk, a professor of Human Kinetics at University of Uyo, who was preparing his appeal against the judgement, had also approached a High Court to grant him bail on health grounds.
Ruling on the bail application, Okon admitted Uduk to bail in the sum of N2 million, with two sureties.
The Judge added that the applicant must not travel out of the country within the period, and should deposit his international passport with the court.
Speaking on behalf of Uduk’s legal team, Sen. Ita Enag, thanked the court for admitting their client to bail while the appeal against his conviction remained on course.
“We shall expedite action to meet the bail conditions so that the applicant will be released to get medical attention, pending the appeal,” he said. NAN
