NO BAIL FOR IBORI, FAYOSE TILL NEXT YEAR

The Federal High Court, Kaduna has ordered that Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori be remanded in Prison till January 2008, rejecting a bail application that would have seen the former Governor getting  a reprieve.

Also, The Federal High Court, Lagos ordered that former  Governor of Ekiti State, Mr.  Ayo Fayose be remanded at the Ikoyi  Prison till January 10, 2008. The former Ekiti Governor is also standing trials for murder, corruption and embezzlement of state funds.

However, The Kaduna Court fixed the trial of the Former Governor of Delta State for January 11, when the charges of corruption and money laundering against him are expected to be given accelerated hearing.

Delivering his ruling in the bail application filed by Joseph Daudu (SAN), Ibori’s counsel, this morning, Justice Mohammed Lawal Shuaibu, ruled that since there was no substantial evidence from Ibori to convince the court on his oral application for bail, he, therefore, rejected the application.

“The court has the desertion to grant bail to the accused or not, but since there was no material evidence provided by counsel to the accused, the oral application is hereby refused and accelerated hearing granted,” Justice Shuaibu ruled.

After the ruling, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacob, pleaded with the court to file proof of evidence against the 103-count charge against Ibori and his mistress, Uzoma Okoronkwo. Jacob also requested to file another 26 charges against the accused persons.

Ibori’s counsel, Joseph Bodunrin (SAN), who kicked against the idea of filing proof of evidence against his clients, urged the court to stand down the application, which the court did accordingly.

Meanwhile, a large crowd of supporters of the former governor from Delta State, besieged the court this morning, asking the court to release him.