Nollywood actress and ex-beauty queen, Ibinabo Fiberesima was released from Kirikiri prison in the early hours of today under unconfirmed conditions after a court of Appeal sitting in Lagos her bail.
The appellate granted Fiberesima bail in a sum of two million and was expected to present two sureties of like sum residing within the jurisdiction of the court, and they must both be a property owner in state.
The former President of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN ), was represented by a team of new counsel led by Adeyemi Muiz Banire (SAN), a former commissioner in Lagos state.
A five year jail term had been handed to her by the Court of Appeal in Lagos for the death of doctor Giwa Suraj, a staff of Lagos State Hospital. She was remanded in jail and denied bail, until today.
Ibinabo was alleged to have collided with the car of the late doctor as a result of her reckless driving on the Lekki-Epe Expressway in February, 2006.
While sentencing her to five years imprisonment, A Lagos State High Court presided by Justice Deborah Oluwayemi had overruled the decision of the Magistrates Court which earlier ordered her to pay a N100,000 fine for the offence.
Dissatisfied with Justice Oluwayemi’s verdict, the convicted ex-beauty queen approached the Court of Appeal to nullify the verdict, but the court also affirmed the sentence. Now the embattled actress sought a favorable ruling by the Supreme Court.
In an affidavit of urgency, filed in support of her bail application before the Court of Appeal, Victor Eden said she had just undergone a surgery for breast cancer and was still under the watch of her doctors.
Eden said Fiberesima’s surgical wound had yet to properly heal, adding that the actress was afraid that her life might be endangered if kept in the prison custody. Therefore, he said it would best serve the interest of justice to release her on bail while the Supreme Court deliberates.
The Lagos State Government did not oppose the application but urged the Court to use its discretion.
The state, represented by Rotimi Odutola, held that the real concern was the appeal filed by the convict itself and not the bail request since the convict was not disputing the verdict or conviction, only the sentence given to her.
Fiberesima Gets Bail, Walks Out Of Prison: Nollywood actress and ex-beauty queen, Ibinabo Fiberesima was relea… https://t.co/RBqzswlJXd