Bail Conditions Come with a Price: Anambra Chief Registrar Accused of Collecting Diesel"
The Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court (FHC) in Awka, Anambra State, Mba Nkem, has been accused of demanding 20 to 30 liters of diesel from defendants as a condition before finalizing their bail. The allegations emerged after several defendants and their lawyers raised concerns over the practice.
Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), confronted the Deputy Chief Registrar regarding the allegations. In her response, seen on Wednesday, Nkem denied any personal benefit from the collection of diesel and provided details on the bail verification process.
She explained that court orders require sureties to deposit refundable bank drafts in her name, which are held in interest-yielding accounts at the United Bank for Africa (UBA) for the duration of the trial. “The bank drafts or bail bonds are not intended for personal gain,” she emphasized.
Due to her workload, Nkem said she delegated senior bailiffs to verify bail conditions and submit written reports to her. "Attached herewith for your review are affidavits of verification submitted by the sheriffs," she added.
Addressing the diesel issue, Nkem revealed that the court had faced power outages, worsened by cable theft that left the facility without electricity for nine months. The quarterly revenue subvention was insufficient to cover fuel needs, she noted.
She disclosed that during court sessions, lawyers suggested contributing 20 to 30 liters of diesel per case to expedite the bail verification process. However, she clarified, “Those unable to provide diesel, such as in pro-bono cases, are still accommodated when there is leftover fuel.”
Nkem stressed that the diesel contributions were never monetized and were delivered directly to power the court’s generator.
To maintain transparency, she stated, “I operate an open-door policy and always ensure my secretary is present during meetings with counsel or litigants to build trust.”
Nkem concluded by inviting further investigation, attaching copies of bank drafts and court orders for review. She assured, “If found wanting, I am open to correction.”
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