Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal high court in Abuja has granted Senator Rochas Okorocha bail in the sum of N500 million or Surety in the like sum.
Ruling on the bail application, the judge held that as part of his bail condition which he must fulfil, Mr Okorocha should provide a surety with a landed property in the like sum of the bail.
The judge also ordered that Mr Okorocha must submit his passport to the court registry and seek the court’s permission before travelling outside the jurisdiction of the court.
He also ordered that Okorocha still be remanded with EFCC pending the perfection of their bail terms.
Read: Revealed: How much Governor Rochas Okorocha spent on the statues
What happened in court
At the resumed hearing today, Justice Ekwo ruled on both the bail application of Mr Okorocha and that of his co-defendant Ayim Chinenye.
The judge noted that granting bail was a discretionary power of the court.
Ruling on Ayim’s bail application, the court held that the earlier administrative bail he was granted still subsisted.
To Senator Okorocha, the judge ordered him to produce a surety who is a responsible citizen with a landed property in Abuja worth N500 million.
He also directed that the original title documents of the property be deposited with the court’s registrar which must be taken to the Abuja Geographical Information System(AGIS) for verification after which the registrar will swear an affidavit on the report of his findings.
The court directed the registry to inform the Nigeria Immigration Service that Mr Okorocha’s international passport was in the custody of the court.
Okey Amaechi, Okorocha’s lawyer told the court that his client was ready to meet the bail conditions as ordered by the court.
The judge adjourned the trial to November 6,7,8,9,10 and 11 for the continuation of the trial.
Read: EFCC arraigns Rochas Okorocha in court over alleged N2.9 billion fraud
What you should know
- Mr Okorocha who is a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is supposed to be screened as the party has commenced its screening exercise for presidential aspirants.
- If Mr Okorocha meets bail conditions, he will be screened today alongside other aspirants.
- His lawyer had argued at the last adjourned date that his client’s continuous detention will amount to putting his ambition at risk.
