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Former Bayelsa Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Monday, lost a legal battle as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos refused to.....
Former Bayelsa Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Monday, lost a legal battle as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos refused to grant him bail in a case of money laundering an illegal acquisition of property.
Alamieyeseigha is facing a 40-count charge of money laundering and illegal acquisition of property brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. (EFCC).
Ruling on the bail application Monday, Justice Mohammed Shuaib said the court was doubtful if the accused would not jump bail since he had earlier jumped bail in London, where he faced similar charges.
'It is not certain that the accused will present himself for trial in view of the fact that he had previously jumped bail in London," Shuaib ruled.
The judge, also held that Alamieyeseigha failed to provide credible evidence before the court on why he should be granted bail.
Shuaib, therefore, adjourned the case till October 2 for trial.
The former governor, had prayed the court through his counsel, Prof. Alfred Kasumu (SAN), to grant him bail to enable him to travel outside the country for medical treatment.
Kasumu said Alamieyeseigha was suffering from a cardiac ailment which required treatment that could not be provided in Nigeria.
The counsel tendered as evidence medical reports from a private hospital in Lagos, as well as a report from the University College Hospital, Ibadan, indicating that the accused ailment would be better treated in a hospital in the United States of America (USA).
Kasumu, also told the court that the defence would not object to the accused being accompanied to the overseas hospital by operatives of the EFCC, to assure the court that he would not jump bail.
However, EFCC's counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, submitted that the accused would jump bail if the application was granted, pointing out that Alamieyeseigha jumped bail in London in December last year, while facing a similar trial.
Jacobs said granting the accused bail would endanger the lives of prosecution witnesses, adding that, Alamieyeseigha was a major sponsor of a militant group in the Niger Delta.
He said the group had even threatened to kill EFCC Chairman, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, if he refused to release the accused unconditionally.
The prosecution counsel added that the accused's health was not as bad as the defence was claiming, saying that, EFCC was making plans to take him to the Ghana Institute of Cardiology for treatment.
Alamieyeseigha has been sick since after his impeachment and arraignment.
He has not attended court since February this year and has been hospitalised at a private hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos, where he recently underwent surgery.