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Tragedy For Ekweremadu As London Court Denies Him Bail, To Spend Xmas In Jail

Published

2 years ago

December 21, 2022

Embattled Nigerian lawmaker Senator Ike Ekweremadu will be in jail for the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations as the Central Criminal Court in London denied him bail yet again. As reported by Punch newspaper, the court denied him bail on Tuesday, December 21, on the premise that he was a flight risk.

It was gathered that the letter on assets forfeiture cases against him by the EFCC also played a part in the bail denial. However, Ekweremadu’s legal counsel, in the bail application filed before the court, stated that the Nigerian ambassador and the attorney-general of the federation had written to the London court that his client was a flight risk.

Ekweremadu’s attorney also confirmed that they had given the assurance to produce his client should he pose a flight risk. He also stated that the British high commission in the United Kingdom gave him an alternative to monitoring him electronically.

Ekweremadu’s attorney also described his client as a responsible family man who would not have thought of running away and abandoning his family. The defence counsel told the London court that 11 sureties and securities of almost five hundred thousand pounds sterling to secure his freedom on bail. He also argued that Ekweremadu’s global prominence and activities in humanitarian services should be considered for his bail.

The prosecutor maintained that the Nigerian lawmaker was a flight risk in all of the premises for Ekweremadu’s release on bail. The prosecutor also cited the premise that he had passports from two countries, which could help him escape. The presiding judge, in his words, said: “I am entirely satisfied there remains a flight risk,” noting that bail would not make much difference “as the trial is just over a month away.”