Court refuses to grant Okorocha bail

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Friday, refused to grant bail to APC presidential hopeful Rochas Okorocha, currently in EFCC’s custody.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, instead, ordered Mr Okorocha, through his lawyer, Ola Olanipekun, to put the anti-graft agency on notice.

Mr Olanipekun had in an ex parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CR/28/2022, prayed the court to grant Mr Okorocha bail on liberal terms pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice filed on May 25.

The ex parte motion was dated and filed May 26.

But Mr Ekwo held that since the matter would come up on Monday, making an order for the release of the lawmaker on bail would be unnecessary.

The senior lawyer also hinted that he had also filed a motion on notice, seeking for his client’s bail.

The judge, who fixed May 30 for the hearing of the motions, directed the lawyer to put the EFCC on notice.

Mr Ekwo had, in the last adjourned date, given the anti-corruption agenct May 30 as the last time the matter would be adjourned following the EFCC’s complaint that it had been unable to serve Mr Okorocha despite several efforts.

The judge had threatened to strike out the case if the EFCC failed to produce the senator in the next adjourned date, after two adjournments for his arraignment.

Operatives of the EFCC besieged Mr Okorocha’s residence on Wednesday following his refusal to honour the EFCC’s invitation after he was accused of jumping the administrative bail earlier granted to him.

Mr Okorocha was whisked away after some hours and remanded in EFCC’s custody. The APC presidential aspirant is standing trial alongside others on allegations bordering on money laundering while he served as governor of Imo.

He and others were expected to be arraigned on Monday.