Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja on Monday adjourned Senator Dino Melaye bail application to next Thursday for further
hearing. Melaye is standing trial on seven-count charge before the court.
The trial judge who is also the Chief Judge of Kogi
State, Justice Nasir Ajanah, gave the
ruling at the resumed hearing of the motions in Lokoja.
He said the adjournment was to enable the defence
file its "further and better affidavit on the bail application."
Ajanah said
the adjournment would also enable him to study the counter motions very well in
order to adjudicate on the matter judiciously.
The
prosecution led by Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN) urged the court not to grant the
application, saying the senator would jump bail if granted as he had once
escaped lawful custody.
Izinyon alleged that Melaye, while in police
custody as he was being taken from Abuja to Lokoja for arraignment, jumped out
of police bus and escaped.
He said there was no guarantee that Melaye would
make himself available for trial if granted bail, adding that his conduct in
the alleged escape from lawful custody did not portray him as one that will not
jump bail.
However, counsel to Melaye, Chief Mike Ozekhome, in
his bid to sway the court in favour of his client, in the further and better
counter affidavit, explained the circumstances that led to the alleged escape.
He noted that initially, the same police told the senator
that they would take him to a High court in Abuja for prosecution, but
decided to head towards Lokoja
for prosecution.
According to
him, while they were in the vehicle, the police teargased Melaye twice when he
was protesting vehemently why they were taking him to Lokoja instead of Abuja.
He explained further that while the vehicle carrying the senator came to a
halt at area one intersection roundabout in Abuja, Melaye forced the door of the vehicle open
and jumped down because he was gasping for breath so that he will not suffocate
and die.
Melaye was earlier arraigned on a stretcher along
with others before a Lokoja Senior Magistrate Court which ordered his remand in
police custody.
He however had the ruling of the magistrate varied
and was remanded in National Hospital, Abuja, by Justice Ajanah who slated yesterday
for hearing in the bail application.
The senator,
along with Kabiru Seidu aka Osama and Nuhu Salihu aka Small, is standing trial
on a seven-count charge bordering on illegal possession of firearms, criminal
conspiracy and illegal dealing in arms.
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