Court grants whistleblower Isaac ‘PIDOM’ Bristol N5m bail

Whistleblower Isaac PIDOM Bristol

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday granted bail of N5 million to whistleblower Isaac Bristol, also known as PIDOM, accused of cybercrime, money laundering, leaking classified and restricted documents, fraud, sedition and tax evasion.

Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that he is to produce one surety in like sum.

Mr Bristol is believed to be behind the whistleblower account PIDOM Nigeria.

The judge made the ruling on the motion on notice filed by Bristol’s team of lawyers led by Deji Adeyanju.

He further ruled that the defendant must deposit his passport with the court.

Part of the bail conditions includes that the surety must be resident in Abuja and depose an affidavit of means. The surety must also provide evidence of three years of tax clearance with two passport photographs.

Bristol has been remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre since September 11.

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

In the money laundering allegations brought against him, the police claimed that the funds PIDOM obtained were derived from unlawful activities.

The police said PIDOM tried to tamper with evidence by destroying his Tecno Phantom X phone and attempting to flush it down the water system of the hotel where he was arrested on August 5.