Rivers State House of Assembly Leader, Chidi Lloyd, was on Monday granted bail by Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers High Court in Ahoada.
He had been in police custody after he was arrested for attempted murder of his colleague, Michael Chinda, on the floor of the House.
Monday’s ruling followed an application by Lloyd’s legal team.
His counsel, Emenike Ebete, had approached the court to seek for bail to enforce the fundamental human rights of the embattled leader.
Ebete in his submission, said the health of his client was failing as he was severely tortured, battered, blindfolded and ill-treated by the police.
He added that Lloyd was detained beyond the statutory period allowed by the law.
While praying the court to grant him bail, Ebete also wants the police to pay Lloyd N50 billion as compensation. Speaking on the ruling, the counsel said “The judiciary is concerned about the police still holding this man and that is why you have courts at all levels, state and federal, demanding his release by the police.
“We are on our way to the police now to inform them of the development and get him released,” Ebete said.
In his reaction, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Leyii Kwanee, said he was aware of the bail.
“Yes, I have just confirmed from the Attorney General of the state that the House Leader has been granted bail by the Ahoada High Court. There is no hesitation about it. This is a bailable offence,” he said.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has expressed shock over the bail granted Lloyd.
“This is a vindication of our fears and alarm that Hon. Michael Chindah cannot get justice in Rivers State,” the party said.
The party described the bail and order stopping further arrest and prosecution of Lloyd made by Justice Charles N. Wali sitting in Ahoada as “a travesty of justice.”
In a statement, Special Adviser on Media to the state PDP Chairman, Jerry Needam, queried the logic behind the order by Justice Wali in a case before another judge of coordinate jurisdiction in Port Harcourt.
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