No Bail For You – Court Tells Ex-Gov Okorocha
BY VICTOR BUORO – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused to grant former Governor of Imo State, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha bail pending the determination of a suit he instituted against the Federal Government.
The trial judge, Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo on Friday declined the lawmaker’s prayers to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release him on bail.
In an ex-parte application, Senator Okorocha had predicated his bail request on the grounds that being a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), his political ambition would be jeopardized unless granted bail by the Court.
However, in a brief ruling on the ball application, Justice Ekwo said he was not inclined to admit the lawmaker to bail.
Instead, the Judge ordered that the Federal Government be put on notice to come and defend its detention of the Senator representing Imo West in the upper legislative chamber.
On two occasions, Senator Okorocha has been slated for arraignment on N2.9bn money laundering charges before the same Judge but refused to honour the same court.
Details coming soon…
