/ 6 hours ago
Gbenga Odogun, Lokoja
The Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja has adjourned hearing of the bail application of Senator Dino Melaye till Thursday.
This followed the inability of prosecution, led by Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), to file its counter-affidavit to the bail application filed by Melaye, through his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
Ozekhome also indicated that he wanted to file a better affidavit.
Consequently, the judge adjourned till May 10 to hear Melaye’s bail application.
The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasir Ajanah, had last Friday ordered that Melaye should be transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja in view of his critical health conditions.
This followed last Thursday’s refusal to grant bail to the lawmaker, when he was arraigned before the Kogi State Magistrates’ Court in Lokoja on seven counts, bordering on criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms.
The magistrate, Sulyman Abdullah, had in his ruling, ordered that Melaye be remanded in the police custody till June 11, 2018 when his bail application would be heard.
The magistrate had explained that the essence of bail was to secure the attendance of the defendant before a court of competent jurisdiction.
“However, this application is not granted as a matter of course. It is anchored upon certain time-honoured principles of the law that would guarantee the production and appearance of the defendant.
“The court however has a grave responsibility to exercise such discretion with utmost caution and to act within the accepted principles of administration of justice.
“Having gone through all the submissions of counsel in respect of this oral application, I decline to exercise my discretion in favour of the fourth defendant; the oral application is accordingly refused,” the magistrate ruled.
Court hears Melaye’s bail application Thursday http://www.punchng.com/court-hears-melayes-bail-application-thursday/
