Rivers PDP Kicks As Chidi Lloyd Gets Bail
Detained Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly Chidi Lloyd was yesterday granted bail in the sum of N5million by Justice Charles Wali of Ahoada High Court in Ahoada East Local Government Area.
But the Rivers Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) protested, saying Governor Chibuike Amaechi is trying to shield Lloyd from prosecution.
Lloyd, a member representing Emuoha Constituency, was arrested on July 23 at the Force Headquarters, Abuja where he went to report after being declared wanted in connection with the fracas on the floor of House on July 9.
Lloyd must have one surety who owns landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. He (the surety),
should submit the particulars of the property to the court, he said.
He also ordered the Police not to re-arrest him, after he has been released.
One of his lawyers, Emenike Ebete, said Lloyd would be released this morning after the order is served on the police.
Asked what would happen to his matter before Justice Latan Nyordee today, he said he would still be in court for his matters today, but he will now come to court, a free man, not under heavy police security as was the case during his last appearance in court.
“A high court in Ahoada has granted bail to our client Chidi Lloyd.
“We approached the court to enforce his fundamental human rights, having been detained for about two weeks now. And following his doctor’s medical report on his deteriorating health condition in which he said if no serious and urgent attention is given to him, it might lead to his death.
“Based on these, the court granted him bail and ordered that the police should not re-arrest him over this charge, and adjourned the case till August 12 for hearing.”
Lloyd was transferred to Port Harcourt on July 26 to face his charges in court, and probably be released on bail. He is yet to be arraigned.
However, efforts by his lawyers, led by Beluolisa Nwofor (SAN) to secure his bail release over the weeks were aborted.
Two courts at the Port Harcourt High Court complex adjourned his matters till today for ruling.
Justices Esor Teetito, which he initially approached to enforce his fundamental human rights and to get an injunction to stop the police from arresting him, adjourned till this morning to rule on whether or not the police should be restrained.
Justice Nyordee will be ruling on whether or not it was ripe for the Attorney-General of the State(A-GS), Worgu Boms, to take over and continue with the prosecution of Lloyd in the six-count charge preferred against him.
Lloyd is to be tried on a six-count charge of conspiracy, attempted murder, assault and malicious damage.
The leadership of the PDP in Rivers State, however, expressed shock and utter disappointment on the bail granted Lloyd.
The Obuah-led PDP said: “This is a vindication of our fears and alarm that the representative of Obio/Akpor 2 Constituency, Michael Okechukwu Chinda (one of the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers, who was injured in the July 9 fracas and still receiving treatment in a private hospital in London) cannot get justice in Rivers State.
“Alarmed by the seeming contradiction in the face of the ongoing sanitisation of the judiciary by the NJC, the party describes the bail and order stopping further arrest and prosecution of Chidi Lloyd made by Justice Charles N. Wali, sitting in Ahoada, as a travesty of justice.
“What is the logic behind the order by Justice Wali, in a case properly before another judge of coordinate jurisdiction in Port Harcourt, who is handling the matter and has adjourned it till Tuesday, August 6, 2013.
“We note with disdain the plot to drag and further implicate the state’s judiciary, in a clear criminal case of attempted murder.
“This has confirmed our earlier claim and fears that Governor Amaechi and his cohorts are doing all within their powers, using the governor’s office, to want to let Lloyd off the hook, while his victim (Chinda) is dying in a London hospital.
“Why run to far-away Ahoada when the offence for which Hon. Lloyd was arrested, was committed in Port Harcourt.
“The presence of Amaechi’s Commissioner for Agriculture (Emmanuel Chinda) and top aides to the governor of Rivers State in court today (yesterday) was premeditated to set Lloyd free.
“The Rivers State High Court in Ahoada, presided over by Justice Charles Wali, lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter and above all lacks power to order the release of Chidi Lloyd in a criminal case that the suspect is not before him and plea not taken.
“This development is most unfortunate, shameful and unacceptable to Rivers people. Governor Amaechi, Chidi Lloyd and Justice Charles N. Wali belong to the same camp and share the same sentiments.
“We urge the NJC to as a matter of public importance initiate an immediate investigation into the activities of Justice Wali, with a view to unearthing the reasons behind the order, which was further ridiculed by succumbing to change the earlier condition that Lloyd should be stripped of his international passport, to only handing in the photocopy of it, so that he would proceed overseas for medical check-up, as argued by his lawyers.
“We should also not lose sight of the far-reaching implications of this abuse of the judicial process, where an application touching on an attempted murder suspect, who is under another court, is made exparte, heard and its requests granted intoto the same day and even went beyond the prayers sought, to foreclose further prosecution of the matter.”
The ruling party also described the development as a serious matter that must not be left to lie.”
But the GU Ake- led PDP faction hailed the judgment that gave bail to Lloyd.
Publicity secretary of the faction, Mr. George Ukwuoma-Nwogba, dismissed the “propaganda being peddled by Jerry Needam, the media aide to Felix Obuah.
“I advise Obuah and his co travelers to respect our justice system and not to play politics with it as it remains the last hope of the common man. They should allow the rule of law to prevail.
“Too many unguided utterances will only destroy our party and the needed peace we all pray for in our dear state,” the statement added.
The Chindah family has petitioned the NJC over what they termed the undue interference of the Rivers State Chief Judge Justice Iche Ndu in the matter.
According to a statement by Chief Evans Chindah, elder brother of Chindah, the family resorted to the petition against the Chief Judge to ensure that justice is done in the case which the Amaechi Government in Port Harcourt is twisting to give the impression that his brother was at fault and deserved the violence that Hon Chidi Lloyd visited on him.
Chief Chindah said their family was particularly surprised and sad that instead of pursuing the course of peace, the Chief Judge and Amaechi do not want the case to go on.
In the petition to the NJC, Chief Chindah raised the alarm that the glaring irregularities in the case since Lloyd was brought to court speaks volumes. Both the Chief Judge and the Judge, Justice Letam Nyordee, are trying to defeat justice through the back door. Lloyd was brought to court on a six-count charge of conspiracy, attempted murder and aggravated assault, among others.
He said that owing chiefly to the desperation of the Amaechi administration to take control of the case prematurely and free Lloyd, the arraignment ran into a hitch. The court adjourned the matter till August 6, for ruling on the interlocutory argument of whether or not the police can engage a private counsel to prosecute the accused person.
“Surprisingly and in a twist of fate, the chief Judge, the presiding Judge and the state government, unknown to the defence counsel, refixed the case to be heard again on July 31, 2013 instead of August 6. The court heard and ordered exparte that Lloyd be produced in court by the police, knowing full well that the short notice was inappropriate. As predicted, Lloyd was not brought to court and we went home dejected.”
It is on this ground that the family is pleading with the NJC to call the Rivers State Chief Judge and the presiding Judge to order because justice is not a one- way traffic. All sides to the case deserve justice and that is what our family is asking for and no more,” he said.
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Source: The Nation
