Fraud: Court Denies Rochas Okorocha Bail, To Spend More Days In EFCC Custody

 

Senator Rochas Okorocha has been denied bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.

 

This comes after he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday.

 

Justice Inyang Ekwo, during the bail application hearing, ordered Okorocha, through his lawyer, Ola Olanipekun, SAN, to put the anti-graft agency on notice.

 

Olanipekun had asked the court to grant Okorocha bail on liberal terms awaiting the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed on May 25 in an ex-parte motion dated FHC/ABJ/CR/28/2022.

 

On May 26, the ex-parte motion was dated and filed.

 

However, Justice Ekwo ruled that, because the case would be heard on Monday, May 30, an order for the lawmaker’s release on bail would be superfluous.

 

The senior lawyer also hinted that he had also filed a motion on notice, seeking his client’s bail.

 

The judge, who fixed May 30 for the hearing of the motions, directed the lawyer to put the EFCC on notice.

 

Ekwo had, in the last adjourned date, given the anti-corruption commission May 30 as the last time the matter would be adjourned following the EFCC’s complaint that it had been unable to serve Okorocha despite several efforts.

 

The judge had threatened to strike out the case if the EFCC failed to produce the senator on the next adjourned date, after two adjournments for his arraignment.

 

Operatives of the EFCC were said to have invaded Okorocha’s residence on Wednesday following his refusal to honor the anti-corruption commission’s invitation after he was alleged to have jumped the administrative bail earlier granted to him.

 

Okorocha was whisked away after some hours and remanded in the EFCC’s custody.

 

Okorocha, an APC presidential aspirant, is standing trial alongside others on allegations bordering on money laundering while he served as governor of Imo.

 

He and others were expected to be arraigned before Justice Ekwo on Monday.