Police Arraign Senator Dino Melaye

The Nigerian Police Force on Wednesday arraigned Senator Dino Melaye before an Abuja High Court sitting in Apo. The lawmaker was arraigned on six counts bordering on attempted suicide, attempt to escape from custody and damage of police property. The prosecution counsel, Alex Izinyonu, said Melaye escaped from police custody on April 24, 2018, after he broke the glass on the second window of a bus belonging to the Police, using his left elbow.

The lawmaker was said to have jumped into a waiting vehicle, an action which the Police says amounted to an offence punishable under section 327 of the Penal Code Law. He said the defendant while being conveyed in a police vehicle to Lokoja, forced his way out of the bus and escaped. Melaye, who represents Kogi West senatorial zone, denied committing the offences. The trial judge, Silvanus Oriji granted him bail in the sum of N5million.

Oriji also ordered Melaye to produce two sureties in like sum, as part of the bail condition. He ordered that the sureties must be directors in the civil service, reside in the FCT, and depose to affidavits of means. Senator Melaye is among the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators that recently decamped from the ruling party to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).