Omatseye appeals five-year jail term, seeks bail pending appeal

A former Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Raymond Omatseye, has prayed a Federal High Court in Lagos to grant him bail pending the determination of his appeal against his conviction.
Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia had on May 20 sentenced Omatseye to a prison term of five years for awarding contracts above threshold while in office.
Omatseye, who is challenging the verdict, is praying the court to grant him bail pending the determination of his appeal he lodged at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division.
According to him, given the number of years it takes to prosecute appeals, it is likely that he may have finished serving the prison term by the time the appeal is determined.
Besides, Omatseye said he is a father of four children, one of whom is very ill and suffers from “severe medical conditions of epilepsy”.
He said his wife stays full time in London with the sick child to enable him get proper medical attention.
In his wife’s absence, he has been providing parental care to the remaining three children in Nigeria.
Omatseye said he would not run away if granted bail.
He said he was always in court during trial, adding that he was granted bail after his arraignment on self-recognition, having been a lawyer for 28 years.
But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said the issues raised by Omatseye ought to be determined by the appellate court, adding that the reasons for the post-bail application “are based on appeal to pity and extraneous circumstances”.
The prosecution said bail after conviction was only granted on the basis of very special and exceptional circumstances.
The EFCC said: “In the present application, no exceptional or very special circumstances have been shown to entitle the applicant to bail pending appeal.
“The applicant has failed to show any special circumstances or reason to enable this honourable court to exercise its discretion in its favour and admit the applicant to bail.
“We, therefore, urged this honourable court to dismiss the application.”
Justice Ofili-Ajumogibia has adjourned to June 6 for ruling.