A Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin on Monday granted bail to a former federal lawmaker, Hon. Moshood Mustapha, and his brother, Bolakale Mustapha.
Their arraignment followed charges of defamation and incitement against the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The Mustapha brothers were arraigned before Justice Mahmud AbdulGafar on a five-count charge filed by the State Government through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ayoola Muhammed Akande.
According to the charges, the defendants are accused of uploading and circulating a five-minute, forty-one-second video containing “offensive, insulting, and derogatory remarks” allegedly aimed at the Governor.
The prosecution further alleged that Moshood Mustapha also instituted a case at the Federal High Court based on false claims.
The State, via the DPP, had sought to remand the brothers in a correctional facility, arguing that their bail application was not yet ready for hearing and that the charges were serious and not typically bailable.
However, counsels for the defendants, Kayode Olatoke (SAN) and M.A. Ebuke, argued separately that the alleged offenses were bailable and urged the court to grant their clients bail pending trial.
In a brief ruling, Justice Mahmud AbdulGafar acknowledged that while the offenses were bailable, they were “not pardonable.”
Consequently, the judge granted bail to each of the Mustaphas in the sum of five million Naira with one surety in like sum.
The case has been adjourned to July 18, 2025 for further hearing.
