Nollywood actress Ibinabo Fiberesima granted bail as she fights on to overturn sentence

Nollywood actress Ibinabo Fiberesima has been granted bail for a sum of N2m (£7,000) by the Lagos State High Court as part of her ongoing legal battle to overturn a five year jail sentence imposed on her for manslaughter.   Ms Fiberesima has been found guilty of manslaughter by dangerous driving after she knocked over and killed medical doctor Suraj Giwa. She has tried to get the sentence overturned but has so far been unsuccessful, however, she got some respite yesterday when she was granted bail, at least enabling her to get out of prison.   In addition to the N2m bail condition, Ms Fiberesima was asked to provide two sureties who are residents of Lagos State. Her lawyers had filed a bail application on the grounds of the state of her health, claiming she needed serious medical attention.   Justice Deborah Oluwayemi of the Lagos State High Court had in 2009 convicted Ms Fiberesima of manslaughter, holding to the fact that her reckless driving was responsible for an auto crash, which claimed the life of Dr Suraj along the Lekki-Epe Expressway. While sentencing Ms Fiberesima to five years imprisonment, Justice Oluwayemi overruled the decision of the State Magistrates’ Court which earlier ordered her to pay N100,000 for the offence.                           

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Ms Fiberesima approached the Court of Appeal to nullify the judgment but the court also affirmed it. She is now expected to take the matter to the Supreme Court having been granted bail.