Melaye was on Friday granted bail by Justice Olasunbo Goodluck of Abuja High Court following his arraignment for falsely incriminating the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Mr. Edward Onoja David, in alleged assassination attempt on the senator’s life in April last year.
Mr. Melaye’s application for bail was moved by his counsel, Rickey Tarfa (SAN), after the senator pleaded not guilty to the offences, which were said to be punishable under sections 140 and 393 of the Peal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.
Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, opposed his application for bail. But Justice Olasunbo Goodluck, granted bail to the defendant after discountenancing the prosecution’s opposition which she said was “based on inadmissible affidavit evidence.”
She then granted bail to Melaye in the sum of N100,000, with one surety.
The surety to be provided by the senator must be a federal civil servant of at least Grade Level 14 in any federal parastatal or establishment and the surety must also provide proof to be a resident of the Federal Capital Territory, the judge ruled.
About 11 senators, including Senators Ben Murray-Bruce and Shehu Sani accompanied Melaye to the trial in a strong show of solidarity.
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