New Telegraph

Fraud: Court refuses post conviction bail of popular televangelist, Genesis

An Ikeja High Court, Lagos has refused the post conviction bail application filed by a popular televangelist and the head Genesis Parish of the Celestial Church of Christ, Israel Oladele Ogundipe (a.k.a Genesis), who is currently serving a two-year prison sentence at Kirikiri Correctional facility for fraud.
Justice Olabisi Akinlade, in a ruling Tuesday, dismissed the application which was brought pursuant to Section 6(6) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and Section 51 of High Court of Lagos State.
In a motion on notice for bail, Genesis sort the leave of court to grant him an unconditional bail, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before the Court of Appeal.
In the convict’s 16-paragraph affidavit sworn by his lead counsel, Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku, in support of his application, affirmed that he, being a diabetic patient, could not follow strict diet and constant specialised medical attention as advised by a doctor, and thereby affecting his health.
He further said that prior to the convict’s incarceration, he was suffering from hypertension, pelptic ulcer and unending malaria which had worsened his health challenges since his conviction in November 18, 2020.
However, Lagos State, in its counter affidavit sworn by Rotimi Odutola, prayed the court to refuse the application on the grounds that the convict spanned several years before the court for trial.
Odutola averred that there was never a time the convict complained about his state of health during the trial only for him to allude to facts about his alleged state of health now that he has being in custody for “barely three weeks.”
The state’s Counsel further averred that: “The correctional centers being a government center has adequate medical facility to manage the state of health of the convict.
“Indeed, his health status truly requires treatment, but the correctional centers also have a procedure for referral where an inmate’s health case so demands, without the prompting of anyone.”
However, ruling on the application, the court held that Genesis did not prove any special circumstances that could persuade the court to do so.
The judge further held that the Court of Appeal Practice Direction 2013 provides for quick hearing of criminal matters.

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