The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has granted a Fuji musician, Felix Duke Osagie, N10 million bail over allegations that he fraudulently converted N21.25 million belonging to one Joseph Onu Oguche.
Justice Ismail Ijelu granted the bail on Thursday after hearing arguments from the prosecution and defence on the defendant’s application.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Osagie on a four-count charge bordering on alleged stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.
One of the charges accused the musician of fraudulently converting N21.25 million belonging to Oguche sometime in 2020.
Osagie, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Lamido Ochuko, urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
But defence counsel, Sunday Afolabi, urged the court to grant his client bail, informing it that an application dated November 4 and filed on November 5, 2026, was already before the court.
Afolabi said the application was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the defendant’s wife, who expressed concern over his deteriorating health.
The defence counsel told the court that Osagie was diabetic and had reportedly become unable to walk following the deterioration of his health while in EFCC custody.
He further claimed that the defendant had been in and out of hospital since his release from the commission’s custody, urging the court to grant him bail on medical grounds.
However, opposing the application, EFCC counsel, Ochuko, informed the court that the prosecution had filed a counter-affidavit dated November 10, 2026.
He urged the judge to consider paragraph six of the counter-affidavit, which alleged that the defendant had jumped bail since July 2026.
The prosecution also informed the court that it intended to call four witnesses to establish its case against the musician.
After considering the arguments from both parties, Justice Ijelu admitted Osagie to bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.
The judge ruled that the sureties must be blood relatives of the defendant and must have paid taxes to the Lagos State Government within the last three years.
He further directed that the sureties provide evidence of verifiable sources of income.
The court also ordered the defendant to deposit his international passport with the registrar and prohibited him from travelling outside Nigeria.
The case was adjourned until December 16, 2026, for trial.
Osagie was, however, remanded in a correctional facility pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.
