Ike Ekweremadu, the Nigerian senate’s ex-deputy president, has been again denied bail by London’s Central Criminal Court.
Sen. Ekweremadu’s bail was rejected at a partial hearing on Tuesday, December 21, 2022, because he posed a flight risk due to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) ongoing letter and asset forfeiture procedures against him.
Lawyers for Ekweremadu reportedly argued that his client was not a flight risk in a bail application before a London court, citing letters from the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK and the Attorney-General of the Federal.
The defence also offered to produce the lawmaker if he was deemed a flight risk. They noted that the Nigerian embassy in the United Kingdom had offered to tag Ekweremadu electronically.
The lawyer further stated that the legislator could not leave London, abandoning his wife and ailing daughter, based on character attestation from other prominent Nigerians and organisations.
After arguing that Ekweremadu is a highly respected and well-known public person, Ekweremadu’s attorney told the court that they had secured nearly half a million pounds sterling in sureties and security from 11 people to secure the lawmaker’s release on bail.
Despite the defense’s counterargument, the prosecution maintained that Ekweremadu posed a flight risk because he held passports from countries other than Nigeria.
The prosecution also relied on a letter from the EFCC, dated July 18, 2022, and signed by Abdulkarim Chukkoi, Assistant Director of Operations, on behalf of EFCC Executive Chairman Abdulraheed Bawa.
After listening to the arguments on both sides, the judge ruled that bail wouldn’t make much of a difference because “the trial is just over a month away.”
Therefore, the judge issued his verdict, which was as follows: “This bail application is refused.”
Therefore, on January 31, 2023, the trial of the Ekweremadus will begin.