After over eight-hour of sitting, the Beninese Court granted Sunday Igboho access to medical care.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Cour De’appal De Cotonou, Benin Republic, on Monday, granted Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho access to medical care.
Igboho’s lawyers in the court sessions which lasted for more than eight hours battled to secure bail for the activist but the court only granted him access to medical care.
The marathon sessions which started at noon had intermittent breaks during the hearing and finally came to an end around past 11 pm (Nigerian time).
According to reports, the court proceeding took that long because the system of law in Benin Republic was different from the system of law in Nigeria. The adversarial system of justice is being practised in Nigeria while Benin Republic practices an inquisitorial system – a justice system in which the judge delves into the matter to enquire like the investigator, asking questions and probing the suspects.
Gatekeepers News gathered that the Federal Government of Nigeria was represented by not less than six lawyers being a combination of local and international lawyers as well as French-speaking and English-speaking lawyers.
After the court sitting, a member of Igboho’s legal team, Pelumi Olajengbesi who spoke with The PUNCH expressed confidence that his client would be released.
The court earlier barred journalists and supporters of Igboho from the courtroom but allowed the separatist’s lawyers and his wife, Ropo, inside the courtroom.
During the sessions, the court investigated the allegations brought against Igboho by the Federal Government of Nigeria which claimed, amongst other things, that the activist is a gun runner who caused disunity in the country.
Gatekeepers News earlier reported that Igboho and his wife were arrested at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou around 8 pm on July 19, 2021, while they tried to catch a flight to Germany through an Air France plane. However, the court ordered the release of his wife but returned Igboho to the police cell last Thursday.
Before his arrest, the Department of State Services in Nigeria (DSS) declared Igboho wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms, an allegation which he denied.
On July 1, 2021, the secret police raided his house, killed two of his associates, and arrested about 12 others.
