Bail application: Melaye to know fate on Thursday

Chief Judge of Kogi state, Justice Nasir Ajana, has adjourned hearing on the bail application filed by embattled Senator Dino Melaye on his gun running battle to Thursday .

The judge said he had to adjourn the hearing to enable him study the fresh documents that were filed by both police and Dino’s counsels yesterday.

Counsel to the Inspector General of Police, Alex Izinyon, SAN had in an affidavit supporting his objection to the bail application raised “new and fundamental” issues that warranted the defendants to file a “better and further” affidavit.

The prosecution in the affidavit had objected to the bail application, claiming that Senator Melaye might jump bail if he was eventually granted.

He argued that the objection was based on the action of the senator, who attempted to escape from lawful custody when he jumped from a police vehicle conveying him to Lokoja.

But Melaye’s counsel, Mike Ozekhome SAN, who filed a fresh affidavit while the court was sitting, said there was the need to address the new issues raised in the prosecution’s affidavit.

He said his client, Senator Dino Melaye, jumped out of police vehicle conveying him to Lokoja because he was twice tear gas cannisters inside the police vehicle while being conveyed from Abuja to Lokoja.

Ozekhome said the lawmaker took the decision to jump when the police also reneged on their promise of arraigning him before an FCT High court, and rather was heading to Lokoja.

He however pleaded with the trial judge to stand down the case for 30 minutes to enable him complete the filing processes to the prosecutors counter affidavits.

But Izinyon, while reacting to the oral application to stand down the case, said he was just served with the affidavit and he needed time to study it properly.

Justice Ajana in his ruling said in view of the fact that counsels had filed fresh affidavit which he had not seen, the bail application would be taken on Thursday .