Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The police authority has docked Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi West at the Senate on a nine-count charge bothering on obstruction and resisting lawful arrest.

He was arraigned before a High Court of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama division alongside his domestic staff, Silas Omenka.

However, the senator who was detained for over two weeks by the police pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

While granting him bail, Justice Halilu Yusuf said the bail conditions set for the senator last week should be maintained.

His counsel, Chief Mike Ozekome (SAN) who moved a fresh application for bail, prayed the court to sustain the bail conditions as granted on Friday the January 18, which had already been fulfilled.

Counsel to the Inspector General of Police, Magaji Labaran, did not oppose the bail application, but however, prayed the court for a more stringent bail condition.

Ozekome in response to Labaran, argued that Melaye is a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and he had been given his passport to travel abroad before now and he returned it; so the question of jumping bail or interfering with investigations did not arise.

He also noted that the police should have concluded with their investigations before arraigning the senator.

Melaye’s counsel further explained that the accused person is standing for election for the senatorial seat on February 16 and as such would not run away and lose the election.

Justice Yussuf in his ruling granted the Senator bail on the same grounds with which it granted last Friday and adjourned the matter till 25th February for hearing.

The court had last week Friday, granted the senator bail, but the police refused to release him from custody, despite perfecting all bail conditions.