Melaye arraigned for attempted suicide, gets N5m bail

Dino Melaye, lawmaker representing Kogi west senatorial zone, was on Wednesday arraigned at a federal capital territory high court (FCT) on a six-count charge, bordering on attempted suicide, attempt to escape from custody and damage of police property.

Melaye who denied committing the offences, while Silvanus Oriji, a judge, granted him bail in the sum of N5 million.

Oriji also ordered him to produce two sureties in like sum, as part of the bail condition.

The judge ordered that the sureties must be directors in the civil service, reside in the FCT, and depose to affidavits of means.

The prosecuting counsel, Alex Izinyon (SAN), had told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences on April 24.

He said the defendant while being conveyed in a police vehicle to Lokoja, forced his way out and escaped.

Izinyon added that the defendant sat on the ground, holding a substance in one hand threatening to drink it to kill himself so that he can put the police officers in trouble.

The prosecutor also said that the defendant broke the glass of the vehicle with his elbow and caused damage to police property.

He said the offences contravened the provisions of sections 148,153,173,231, 326 and 327 of the penal code.

Mike Ozekhome, counsel to the defendant, prayed the court to allow the bail granted to the defendant at the magistrate’s court, Wuse on the same charges to continue.

The prosecution opposed the application, adding that bail is at the discretion of the court.

The judge upheld the submission of the prosecution and gave the new bail conditions.

He said the case would be assigned to another judge by the chief judge after the vacation.