Court grants Melaye N10m bail

A Kogi state high court has granted bail to Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west senatorial district.

At its sitting on Wednesday, the court granted him a N10 million and asked him to provide a surety.

Nasiru Ajanah, the presiding judge, said the bail was necessitated by the senator’s health challenge.

Mike Ozekhome, Melaye’s counsel, had argued that the continued incarceration of the senator was a threat to his “deteriorating” health.

Granting the bail application, the judge said there was no evidence that the senator will jump bail if he is set free.

The police had declared Melaye wanted after he shunned their invitation over a gun running case. Two suspects had allegedly accused him of supplying guns to them, an allegation he denied.

He had surrendered to the police and was being taken to Lokoja, Kogi capital for trial when he jumped out of a police vehicle, sustaining injuries in the process.

He was taken to a private hospital but the police moved him to National Hospital, Abuja.

After a week there, he was arraigned at a magistrate court in Abuja and charged with attempted suicide, escape from lawful custody, and causing damage to government property.

The court granted him bail during arraignment as well but he was re-arrested.