Temporary respite came the way of embattled ex-beauty queen and actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima, as the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on Thursday granted her a N2 million bail.
The appellate court, in a two-one split judgment, decided that Fiberesima’s application for bail had merit.
Justice Samuel Oseji, who read the lead judgment, granted Fiberesima the bail with two sureties in like sum. The court said the two sureties must be resident in Lagos and must each swear to an affidavit of means.
The Appeal court said it was granting the actress the bail pending the determination of a suit filed by her at the Supreme court.
Justice Oseji also said the court granted Fiberesima’s favour in view of her health and because there was no record that she had jumped bail in the past.
In support of Fiberesima’s bail application filed through her lawyer, Nnaemeka Amaechina, Victor Eden had deposed to a six-paragraph affidavit stating that Fiberesima recently had a surgical operation for breast cancer.
Eden said in the affidavit that Fiberesima was afraid that her life might be endangered if kept in the prison custody.
He had urged the court to grant her bail in the interest of justice.
In 2009, she was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years imprisonment by Justice Deborah Oluwayemi of a Lagos State High court.
The Judge had held that her reckless driving was responsible for an auto crash, which claimed the life of Dr. Giwa Suraj on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
While sentencing the actress to five years imprisonment, Justice Oluwayemi overruled the decision of a Lagos State Magistrates’ Court which earlier ordered her to pay N100,000 fine for the offence.
Not pleased with the judgment, Fiberesima, through her lawyer, Nnaemeka Amaechina, approached the Court of Appeal, seeking to upturn the judgment.
But in a judgment on 11 March, the Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal and upheld the five years imprisonment imposed on her.
Again, not pleased she further appealed to the Supreme Court and urged the Court of Appeal to grant her bail pending the decision of the apex court.
PmNews
