The Nigeria Police Force yesterday arraigned Senator Dino Melaye before the Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja for attempting to kill himself in order to implicate the police by jumping out of the bus and falling on the ground on April 24, 2018.

He pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him by court officials.

The presiding magistrate, Mabel Segun-Bello, granted him bail in the sum of N90m with two sureties in like sum.

As part of the bail conditions, the senator was directed by the court to report to Wuse police station every working day of the week.

Melaye’s lawyer, Mr. Nkem Okoro, told one of our correspondents that his client met the bail conditions granted by the court but the senator was rearrested by the police on the court premises.

Melaye, lying on a stretcher, was produced in court in a police ambulance with registration number NPF2214D on Wednesday.

Notable among his supporters who thronged the court were two senators – Ben Murray-Bruce (Peoples Democratic Party, Bayelsa) and Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti).

Over 200 armed policemen were deployed in the court.

They condoned off adjoining streets preventing vehicular movement.

Some of the policemen who manned the gate denied some journalists entry into the court.

Other court users were also turned back.

The policemen departed the court premises and the adjoining streets in a convoy which comprised the ambulance conveying Melaye at about 4.20pm.

CEOAfrica gathered that 14 pick-up vans with an average of 10 policemen occupying each and seven 18-seater buses also filled with policemen in the convoy..

The magistrate allowed the lawyer to move the bail application.

While arguing the bail application, Okoro contended that the offences the senator was charged with were not capital, adding that the defendant was entitled to bail under the law.

But the prosecuting counsel, Izinyon, opposed the bail application on the grounds that the defendant would likely obstruct the course of justice.

Ruling on the bail application, the magistrate said Izinyon was unable to prove the apprehension expressed by the police to warrant the court to deny the defendant bail.

She said the prosecution could not convince the court on how the defendant was likely to influence the prosecution witnesses after the commencement of the trial.

The magistrate then granted bail to the senator in the sum of N90m with two sureties in like sum.

The court ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant not lower than Grade Level 14, and one must have an easily identifiable residence in Abuja.

The court also held that Melaye must deposit his passport with the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.

In addition, the magistrate ordered that the defendant must report to the Wuse police station every working day of the week until the bail conditions were altered by the court.

The court then adjourned the case until June 6 for trial.

But the police later on   Wednesday said Melaye was being detained after his arraignment at Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse, Abuja.

The force stated that the lawmaker would be moved to Lokoja, Kogi State where he would be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction without delay.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement that Melaye was taken into police custody for the criminal charges filed against him at a court in Kogi State.

He stated that Melaye was arraigned after he was discharged by the National Hospital, Abuja and confirmed fit for trial.