Rivers State House of Assembly Leader, Chidi
Lloyd, was on Monday granted bail by Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers High
Court in Ahoada.
He had been in police custody after he was
arrested for attempted murder of his colleague, Michael Chinda, on the floor of
the House.
Monday’s ruling followed an application by
Lloyd’s legal team.
His counsel, Emenike Ebete, had approached the
court to seek for bail to enforce the fundamental human rights of the embattled
leader.
Ebete in his submission, said the health of his
client was failing as he was severely tortured, battered, blindfolded and
ill-treated by the police.
He added that Lloyd was detained beyond the
statutory period allowed by the law.
While praying the court to grant him bail,
Ebete also wants the police to pay Lloyd N50 billion as compensation.
Speaking on the ruling, the counsel said “The judiciary is concerned about the police still holding this man and that is why you have courts at all levels, state and federal, demanding his release by the police.
Speaking on the ruling, the counsel said “The judiciary is concerned about the police still holding this man and that is why you have courts at all levels, state and federal, demanding his release by the police.
“We are on our way to the police now to inform
them of the development and get him released,” Ebete said.
In his reaction, Deputy Speaker of the
Assembly, Leyii Kwanee, said he was aware of the bail.
“Yes, I have just confirmed from the Attorney
General of the state that the House Leader has been granted bail by the Ahoada
High Court. There is no hesitation about it. This is a bailable offence,” he
said.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has expressed shock over the bail
granted Lloyd.
“This is a vindication of our fears and alarm
that Hon. Michael Chindah cannot get justice in Rivers State,” the party said.
The party described the bail and order stopping
further arrest and prosecution of Lloyd made by Justice Charles N. Wali sitting
in Ahoada as “a travesty of justice.”
In a statement, Special Adviser on Media to the
state PDP Chairman, Jerry Needam, queried the logic behind the order by Justice
Wali in a case before another judge of coordinate jurisdiction in Port
Harcourt.
This man is sure a mad man, this is a man that
nearly killed his fellow human being with a Mase, and yet he still has guts to
sue N50b, so sad
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