Rivers House leader arraigned, pleads not guilty •Remanded in prison custody

THE detained Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd, was finally arraigned at the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday to listen to the charges against him and make his plea.
He was, however, ordered to be remanded in prison custody by the presiding judge, Justice Letam Nyordee, till Wednesday, August 7 (today), when the court would give its verdict on his bail application.
Although another High Court, sitting in Ahoada, Rivers State, had granted the lawmaker bail on Monday, the police, in whose custody he had been since he made himself available to the authorities in Abuja more than two weeks ago, held on to him because it was unaware of the said bail.
Lead counsel for Lloyd, Beluolisa Nwofor (SAN), had moved a motion of application of bail shortly after the lawmaker pleaded not guilty to all 6-count charges preferred against him by the police.
The charges were conspiracy, attempted murder, intent to maim, disfigure and injure, unlawful grievous harm and willfully destroying government property on the 9th of June, 2013 at the Rivers State House of Assembly, contrary to sections 324, 320, 312, 305, 351 and 355 of the Criminal Code Law, 1999 and the Rivers State Criminal Procedure Law, Cap 37 laws of Rivers State, 1999.
Moving his motion for bail application, Nwofor, submitted that the motion was brought pursuant to section 118 sub 124 of the Criminal Procedure Law of Rivers State Cap 37, Sections 33, 34 sub 1(a), 35(1)(4), 36 sub 6, 39 rule 1(2) and 41 sub 1 of the 1999 Constitution, and Article 4, 5, 6, 12, sub 1(2) and 16 sub 1 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Act Cap A9 Vol 1 Laws of Nigeria, 2004.
He also relied on the 29-paragraph affidavit sworn to, the exhibits attached therewith and the written addresses filed and as well the further affidavit to pray the court that the accused be granted bail.
He, however, urged the court to discountenance the counter-affidavit filed by the police on the bail application, maintaining that pursuant to section 36 subsection 5 of the Criminal Law, a person is deemed innocent until a competent court of law decides otherwise.
He argued that the accused deserved bail as none of the charges against him bothered on murder, armed robbery or felony.
He, therefore, prayed the court to grant Lloyd bail on self-recognition, pointing out that the accused, on his own, had turned himself to the police since 26th of July, adding that considering his status in society, he is not one that would want to jump bail.
Responding, the Attorney-General of Rivers State, Mr. Nworgu Boms who had earlier taken over the matter after Lloyd was arraigned, applied to withdraw the counter-affidavit filed by police, saying they were ready to go on with the trial of the matter.
Meanwhile, when the Nigerian Tribune tried to find out what happened to the bail earlier obtained for the lawmaker from the Ahoada court, the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State governor, who is also an associate of Lloyd’s, Tony Okocha, said the police refused to accept the service of the court bail grant.
TRIBUNE