The Federal Government on Thursday arraigned the Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on two counts of giving false information about an assassination attempt on his life to the Police in April 2017.
Melaye was accused of falsely incriminating the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Mr. Edward Onoja David, in the said assassination attempt.
The offences were said to be punishable under sections 140 and 393 of the Peal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.
He pleaded not guilty to the two counts filed against him by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on January 31, 2018.
Shortly after his plea, his lawyer, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), moved his bail application filed on February 22, 2018.
The bail application was opposed by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran.
But in her bench ruling, the judge, Justice Olasunbo Goodluck, granted bail to the defendant after dismissing the prosecution’s opposition which she ruled was “based on inadmissible affidavit evidence.”
The judge granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N100,000, with one surety.
The judge ruled that the surety to be provided by the senator must be a federal civil servant of at least Grade Level 14 in any federal parastatal or establishment.
The surety must also provide proof to be a resident of the Federal Capital Territory.
Melaye was accompanied to the Thursday’s proceedings by about 11 senators, including Senators Ben Murray-Bruce and Shehu Sani.
PUNCH
