By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Reprieve has come the way of the embattled former Governor of Imo state and a serving senator, Chief Rochas Anayo Okorocha as a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, admitted him to bail in the sum of N500 million with one surety in like sum.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, said granting bail was a discretionary power of the court hence he has exercised it.
Justice Ekwo also said the surety, who must have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court, must deposit the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of the verified property with the registry of the court.
The judge, while admitting the senator to a bail with a cautionary statement, ordered that his international passport be deposited to the registry of the court.
He ordered the Registry of the court to inform the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) about the state of Okorocha’s travel documents.He further ordered the lawmaker not to travel outside the country except with the leave of the court.
Ekwo also granted Okorocha’s co-defenndant, Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, a bail in the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge adjourned the matter until November 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 respectively for trial.
The development occured after counsel for Okorocha, Solomon Umo, SAN, and that of Chinenye, Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, took the applications.
Okorocha, the current senator representing Imo West Senatorial District and the 1st defendant in the case was arraigned alongside Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited as 2nd to 7th defendants respectively.
He was alleged to have laundered funds to the tune of N2.9 billion while serving as governor of Imo.
