Why we re-arrested Melaye in court—Police By Ikechukwu Nnochiri & Joseph Erunke
ABUJA—The Nigeria Police Force yesterday arraigned Senator Dino Melaye before a Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja for attempting to kill himself by jumping out of a vehicle conveying him to Lokoja to face criminal allegations against him.
Dino, who was brought before the court on a stretcher, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail to the tune of N90million.
Part of the Police’s First Information Report, FIR, read before Magistrate Segun-Bello, read: “On April 24, about 1330hrs at Area One round-about Abuja, “You Senator Dino Melaye of the Federal Republic of Nigeria while being conveyed in a Police White Hilux Bus with Registration number NPF 3354 D to Lokoja Kogi State to be arraigned in Court for Conspiracy and Unlawful Possession of Prohibited Firearms in Charge Number CMCL/14SC/2018 filed at the Chief Magistrate Court Lokoja, you Senator Dino Melaye intentionally broke the side windscreen of the Bux and jumped out of the bus after it was blocked by a Hilux Vehicle with registration number Kaduna MKA 603 GY occupied by your younger brother Samuel Melaye and one Barrister Amefula David Emeka and driven by yet to be unidentified person who escaped from the scene after the blockade.”
Police maintained that the lawmaker who is representing Kogi West Senatorial District, committed an offence punishable under Sections 148, 153, 172, 173, 231 and 326 of the Penal Code Act.
Meanwhile, after Melaye pleaded innocence to the charge, Police lawyer, Dr. Alex Izinyon SAN, applied for date to commence trial.
However, Melaye’s lawyer, Mr. Nkem Okoro, from the chambers of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, persuaded the court to hear his application for bail.
At the end of the proceeding which was conducted under intense security, with heavily armed policemen that surrounded the court premises, barring newsmen from gaining entry into the court room, Melaye, was stretchered into a waiting Ambulance.
The court has fixed June 6 to commence hearing on the case.
Meanwhile, the Police yesterday explained that Senator Dino Melaye, was re-arrested to immediately face another criminal charge against him in Lokoja, Kogi State.
The Force Headquarters, in a statement to this effect, by its spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said Melaye who it said had been certified fit by the National Hospital, Abuja, where he was admitted earlier, would be immediately taken to Lokoja for subsequent arraignment in court there.
The statement released last night: “Senator Dino Melaye was arraigned in court by the Police today, May 2, 2018, at Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse, Abuja for Criminal conspiracy, causing damage to Government property, attempted suicide and escape from lawful custody.
His arraignment in Court today was subsequent to his discharge from the National Hospital after he was confirmed fit for trial.
‘’ It will be recalled that, on April 24, 2018, at about 1200Hrs, Sen. Dino Melaye while in lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force and being taken for arraignment for conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms in court in Lokoja, from Abuja, escaped from lawful custody when hoodlums and miscreants in two Toyota Hilux Vehicles blocked the Police vehicle conveying Senator Dino Melaye around Area 1 Round About, Abuja.
‘’In the process, the senator broke the side glass of the vehicle and jumped out of the Police bus through the window and was rescued from policemen by hoodlums and miscreants to an unknown destination before he was rearrested at Zankli Hospital in Abuja later in the day on same date.
This case was investigated and that is why the senator was arraigned in court today (yesterday).
“Meanwhile, the Police Investigation Team re-arrested Senator Dino Melaye today, (yesterday) May 2, 2018, after his arraignment at Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse, for the pending offences of Criminal Conspiracy and Unlawful Possession of Prohibited Firearms already filed in a Court of competent jurisdiction in Lokoja for which he will be arraigned without further delay.”
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