Abuja Court Grants Whistleblower PIDOM N5m Bail

A federal high court in Abuja has granted bail to Bristol Tamunobifiri, popularly known by his X name PIDOM.

At the court session on Friday, Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, granted PIDOM N5 million bail with one surety in like sum.

Nwite said the surety must be a resident of Abuja and depose to an affidavit of means. The surety must also provide evidence of three years of tax clearance with two passport-sized photographs.

The judge also ruled that the defendant must deposit his passport with the court.

PIDOM was arraigned on September 3, on a nine-count charge brought against him by Olukayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police.

He was accused of “mobilising and soliciting support to unduly compel the government to act or abstain from certain acts through the #EndBadGovernance protest”.

The police said the whistleblower also laundered N970,000 deemed to be “proceeds of an unlawful act”.

Other charges include false money laundering allegations against President Bola Tinubu, and unlawfully obtaining, retaining and disseminating classified secret documents in contravention of the official Secret Act 1962.

The defendant was remanded in Kuje correctional centre. His bail application was moved by Deji Adeyanju, his lawyer.