Unseen hands at work — Timi Frank faults Ayeni’s bail terms
Former APC Official Critiques Bail Conditions for Tunde Ayeni
Timi Frank, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has criticized the bail conditions set for businessman Tunde Ayeni by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
In a statement released on Thursday, Frank characterized the bail terms as excessively stringent and potentially damaging to public confidence in the judiciary. He alleged that the conditions imposed by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie were unprecedented and politically motivated, suggesting a connection to “unseen hands” within the presidency.
One of the bail conditions reportedly mandates that a surety provide a bank guarantee of 15 billion naira—the amount pertaining to the charges against Ayeni—with an undertaking that this sum would be forfeited to the Federal Government should the defendant fail to appear in court.
Frank remarked that these conditions are unusual for offenses that are typically bailable and drew comparisons to bail terms previously granted to other high-profile defendants facing similar corruption charges.
“It is surprising to hear of such a condition, as it appears highly unusual and capable of bringing shame to our judicial process,” Frank said.
He called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the bail conditions in order to safeguard public trust in the judicial system.
“The Nigerian criminal justice system must resist the temptation to equate allegations with guilt. Courts are constitutionally obligated to remain the final guardians of liberty, not silent collaborators in pre-conviction punishment,” he added.
