Former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has been again denied bail by the Central Criminal Court in London.
In a partial hearing on Tuesday, December 21, 2022, the court denied bail on the grounds that Ekweremadu was a flight risk, citing the letter and asset forfeiture proceedings initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against the senator.
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In the bail application before the London court, Ekweremadu’s lawyer was reported to have argued that the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and the Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had written to the court that his client was not a flight risk.
The defence also promised to produce the lawmaker if he posed a flight risk, adding that the Nigeria High Commission in the UK had also offered the option of electronically tagging Ekweremadu to track his movements.
The lawyer also argued that the lawmaker had proven to be a caring and responsible father and could not flee London, abandoning his wife and sick daughter, citing other character attestation by other well-respected Nigerians and organizations.
The lawyer told the court that they had nearly half a million pounds sterling in sureties and securities from 11 people to secure Ekweremadu’s release on bail, citing the lawmaker as a highly regarded, well-known public figure.
Despite the defence’s arguments, the prosecution insisted that Ekweremadu was a flight risk, claiming that as a holder of international passports from two other countries, he could flee to any of them other than Nigeria.
The prosecution also cited a letter signed on behalf of the Executive Chairman, Abdulraheed Bawa, by the EFCC’s Assistant Director Operations, Abdulkarim Chukkoi, dated July 18, 2022.
After hearing from both sides, the Judge said the bail would not make much difference “as the trial is just over a month away.” The judge, therefore, declared his ruling saying, “this bail application is refused.”
Ike Ekweremadu’s trial will begin on 31st January 2023.
