Dino Melaye gets N10 million bail

A Lokoja High Court, Kogi State yesterday granted the embattled senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, bail in the sum of N10 million and a surety in like sum.



Melaye, who has been on admission at the National Hospital Abuja and under police custody, was finally granted bail, following his arraignment on allegations bordering on dealing in illegal firearms and other charges, over two weeks ago.

Kogi State Chief Judge, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, in his ruling, stated that health condition of the accused stood as enough reason to grant him bail, adding that the offence alleged is not capital in nature.

He explained that the prosecution failed to show that if granted bail, the accused would jump bail.

Justice Ajanah admitted Melaye on bail of N10 million and a surety in like sum.

According to him: “The health situation of the third defendant had earlier been admitted by the complainant to be such that they do not have adequate facilities to take care of him is a factor, which merits consideration in this case”.

He added that as at the time of the application, the third defendant was at Police Headquarters in Lokoja and the prosecution expressly stated that they had no medical facilities.

Melaye, along with Kabiru Seidu (a.k.a Osama) and Nuhu Salishu (a.k.a Small) were arraigned before the Senior Magistrate’s Court 2 Lokoja, following which he was remanded in police custody under the Inspector General of Police.

The defence counsel, led by Chief Mike Ozokheme (SAN), filed an application for bail at state High Court upon which the leading prosecution counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), challenged it through a counter-affidavit.

In Abuja, the Federal Government yesterday told a Federal Capital Territory High Court to revoke the bail earlier granted the embattled senator after he was accused of falsely discriminating the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Mr. Edward Onoja David, in an assassination attempt.



At resumed hearing yesterday, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Labaran Shuaibu, applied for Melaye’s bail to be revoked since he was not in court for his trial.

On the other hand, the prosecution said the court should summon the person that stood surety for him to appear and show cause why he should not be committed to prison for the absence of the defendant.

He told the court that the Federal Government has lined up four witnesses that would testify against Melaye.

But the defence counsel, Mr. Ricky Tarfa, (SAN), accused the Federal Government of concealing the true facts and circumstances of the case to the court.

Tarfa told the court that he expected Labaran to furnish the court with the true position.

“The defendant has been charged in two other courts. He was immediately taken to Lokoja after he was granted bail in this court.

“The Magistrate’s Court at Lokoja refused him bail and ordered that he should be remanded in police custody.

“He approached the high court and that court adjourned until May 16 (today) to rule on his bail application, ” he submitted.

He told the court that it was not a fair representation of issues if the prosecution behaves as if he was not aware.

Labaran told the court that he was granted bail, which he perfected the condition, and what he may have done is not the business of the court.

The judge, after listening to the submissions of Tarfa and Labaran adjourned the matter till today.

But about 11 senators stormed the court to show solidarity with Melaye.

Tthe senators are Andy Uba, Ben Bruce, Phillip Aduda and many others.

Melaye also stormed the court with a retinue of hired protesters welding placards with inscriptions “istandwithdino if you speak the truth you die”.