An American based businessman, Chief Steve Ike Osogbue, remanded at the Federal Prisons, Kwale, on the order of a Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A.N. Okonkwo Okanume, sitting at Ashaka Magisterial Division was on Monday, January 13, 2014 granted bail at Kwale High Court.

Chief Osogbue was formerly charged at Ashaka Magistrate Court on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 for a six count charge for forgery of documents he used in applying to the Delta State Directorate of Chieftaincy Affairs to become King in Ushie community in Ndokwa East local government. He was also charged for unlawful possession of firearms and 46 life cartridges.

Chief Magistrate Okanume, while ruling on the matter declined jurisdiction and ordered that the accused person be remanded at Kwale Federal prisons.

Counsel to the accused person, Mr. E.E. Ogwezzy who filed a motion for bail application, filed a 43 paragraph affidavit sworn to by Chief Osogbue at the High Court of Justice, Kwale and counsel to the State, Assistant Director in the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Patricia Uche Akamagwuna filed a 27 paragraph counter affidavit in opposition to the bail application filed by the accused counsel.

After hearing the argument of both counsels, the presiding Judge sitting at High Court of Justice, Kwale, Hon. Justice Jaho Williams said he was granting bail to the accused person on health ground.

Hon. Justice Jaho-Williams stressed that the accused person was brought to the Court room sick, adding that the authority of the Federal Prisons wrote to say that the accused person was ill.

The sitting Honourable Justice ruled that Chief Osogbue should be granted bail in the sum of N500,000 and a surety in like sum, and demanded that the accused person should deposit his Nigerian International passport and his United States of America passport with the Chief Registrar of the Court and the Surety should be residence in Kwale judicial division and should be of a reputable character.

According to a reliable source close to the office of the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Justice, Kwale, who does not want his name in print said an opinion has been rendered on the matter by the State Ministry of Justice and there is a prima facie case established against the accused person in all the charges.

The source further revealed that Chief Osogbue would soon be arraigned at the the High Court of Justice, Kwale for the stated offences.