Senator shows up in Lokoja court on stretcher to face criminal charges

Kogi lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, appeared before a Magistrates Court in Lokoja, Kogi state on a stretcher to face criminal charges on Thursday, May 3, 2018.

The lawmaker's arraignment comes just a day after he also appeared before an Abuja Magistrate Court sitting at Wuse Zone 2 on a stretcher to answer charges brought against him by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Wednesday, May 2.

In the Abuja court, Melaye was charged for criminal conspiracy, causing damage to government property, attempted suicide and escape from lawful custody. This was after he briefly escaped from police officers while he was being transported from Abuja to his home state on Tuesday, April 24.

Even though the presiding magistrate, Mabel Segun-Bello, granted the lawmaker bail in the sum of N90 million, he was re-arrested by police officers after his arraignment on Wednesday.

In a statement, Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said Melaye will be arraigned in Lokoja for separate charges of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms

According to a report by Premium Times, Melaye was driven to Lokoja at about 4:30am by the police and arrived in the state around 7:00am.

Chief Magistrate, Suleiman Abdulahi, denied the lawmaker's bail application and asked that he should be kept in custody till June 11, 2018 when the trial will commence.