Court Flings Okorocha’s Bail Request

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By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Former Governor of Imo State, Mr Rochas Okorocha, has had his request for bail thrown out by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Ruling on the bail application filed by the senator representing Imo West Senatorial District at the 9th Nigerian Senate on Friday, Justice Inyang Ekwo said the ex parte application is not accepted.

Mr Okorocha, who is a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is asking the court to release him on bail pending the determination of a suit he filed against the federal government.

On Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided his house in Abuja and whisked him away.

The anti-money laundering agency claimed the lawmaker earlier jumped an administrative bail and that efforts to have him honour several invitations to him were futile.

However, the former Governor claimed he did not receive any notice from the commission asking him to appear before it.

He alleged that the EFCC was being used to stop his screening and participation in the presidential primary of his party.

To enable him to contest the political activity, he filed a suit before the court for bail and today, the judge declined to compel the EFCC to release him on bail but ordered the applicant to put the federal government on notice to justify his continued detention.

The agency filed a 17-count criminal charge against Mr Okorocha before the same judge, with arraignment adjourned until May 30, 2022.

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