Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Businessman and entrepreneur Adetunji Conde has renewed his application for medical bail, citing a significant deterioration in his health and alleging continued unfair treatment throughout the police investigation and court proceedings in a protracted N100 million investment dispute with Justice Mabel Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court. According to his solicitors, the Nigerian Correctional Service has again recommended that Conde undergo specialist medical evaluation beyond the prostate and renal conditions previously diagnosed at the General Hospital, Keffi. The Correctional Service reportedly stated that Conde has developed a growth inside his mouth, suffers persistent headaches, and has allegedly collapsed and fainted on two occasions while in custody. Consequently, he has been referred for a CT scan to determine whether the growth is cancerous. The referral further advised his lawyers to facilitate his transfer to a suitable medical facility for further evaluation and treatment, as the CT scanner at the General Hospital, Keffi, is reportedly not functional. He has therefore been referred to either the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi or the Federal Medical Centre, Gwagwalada.
The dispute arose from a N100 million investment allegedly made by Justice Segun-Bello in the company owned by Conde and his wife, Elizabeth and Esther Nigeria Limited. The conflict has since escalated into criminal prosecution, with Conde and his wife facing charges of alleged misappropriation and breach of trust. However, they claim that these allegations are false and have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, citing unlawful criminalisation, malicious prosecution, and abuse of police power. Conde has reiterated his allegations regarding his criminal prosecution, the bail conditions imposed on him, and the conduct of Justice Segun-Bello, Magistrate George Basil of Court 18, Wuse Zone 2, and the High Court judge who heard his application for a variation of bail conditions. He also alleged that officers of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), including the former Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), acted in concert with Justice Segun-Bello during the course of the investigation.
According to Conde, WhatsApp messages and photographs, now reportedly in the possession of SaharaReporters, form part of materials that were allegedly deleted by the former FCID PPRO. He claimed that some of the recovered messages allegedly instructed him to publish an online apology to Justice Segun-Bello and to alter an earlier statement from, "I am sorry, no fraud was intended," to, "I am sorry, I committed fraud". Conde further alleged that Justice Segun-Bello boasted that, regardless of any intervention by the Attorney-General of the Federation, he would not be granted favourable bail. He also claimed that despite an order by the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory directing his release, he was subsequently re-arrested after petitions seeking explanations over the indefinite suspension of his case and the continued denial of bail allegedly went unanswered.
In a ruling delivered on July 9, 2026, on his application for a variation of bail conditions, the High Court reduced the amount required to be deposited in an interest-yielding account from N100 million to N50 million. The case has been transferred to a third magistrate court, where the presiding magistrate imposed a mandatory payment of N100 million into an interest-bearing account as a bail condition. However, Conde argued that the decision failed to take into account recent Court of Appeal authorities discouraging excessively onerous bail conditions that effectively amount to punishment before trial. He has therefore called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to immediately investigate the judicial officers involved, as well as the Inspector-General of Police and the former FCID PPRO, over the allegations he has raised.
The case has been marked by a series of legal twists, including the revocation of bail after the couple missed a court session due to a police arrest. A Nigerian couple, Mr. Adetunji Conde and Mrs. Ajoke Amudat Conde, had their bail revoked by a Magistrate Court in Abuja's Wuse Zone 2 after missing a court session due to a police arrest linked to a N100 million investment dispute with Justice Mabel Segun-Bello. Expressing concern over his deteriorating health, Conde stated in a letter made available to SaharaReporters on Friday, "When I saw the deterioration of my health, I felt I might have no option but to write the apology they wanted, simply to save my life and be able to return to my family". He further alleged that the magistrate currently handling his case and the judicial officer who delivered what he described as an "illegal ruling" have continued to disregard his health concerns.
The dispute has drawn attention to the conduct of Justice Segun-Bello, who is a Federal High Court judge known for her outspoken views on judicial appointments. She has previously stated that to become a federal judge in Nigeria, one must have the backing of the presidency or a political party. The Conde family has accused Justice Segun-Bello of weaponising police resources for personal vendettas, undermining the integrity of law enforcement. They have also questioned the logic of keeping Conde behind bars despite his deteriorating health. The case has raised broader concerns about the use of bail conditions that effectively amount to pre-trial punishment, as well as the alleged manipulation of police and judicial processes in high-profile disputes.
As Conde continues to fight for his freedom and his health, the National Judicial Council faces mounting pressure to investigate the allegations of judicial bias and police misconduct. The businessman's case has become a symbol of the challenges facing Nigeria's justice system, where powerful individuals can allegedly influence the course of justice while ordinary citizens remain trapped in a cycle of legal limbo. The renewed medical bail application and the allegations of judicial bias and police misconduct have cast a spotlight on the need for urgent reforms to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done.
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