A Port-Harcourt High Court is likely to rule on a bail application today made by counsel to federal lawmaker, Hon. Farah Dagogo, currently facing trial for alleged conspiracy to commit felony.
The High Court presided by Honourable Justice C. Nwogu did not sit on Friday, May 20 to rule on the bail application as was expected instead the court gave new date to the counsels involved in the case.
The court will now sit on Wednesday, May 25 (today) to rule on the application.
The courtroom was filled to capacity on Friday until it was announced that the court would not sit and the new date given to the counsel.
The defendant was brought to court in a wheelchair and was wheeled out of the courtroom when it was announced that the court would not sit.
Hon. Dagogo faces two counts and is being prosecuted by the Rivers State Government.
He pleaded not guilty when the counts were read to him on May 16.
One of the counts said that the federal lawmaker allegedly conspired with others at large to commit felony and alleged possession of firearms on April 27 at State Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party during the screening of aspirants of the party while the other count said that the lawmaker allegedly tried to cause panic threatening violence while the exercise was going on at the secretariat.
After the charges were read with the lawmaker taking plea, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, who had led the prosecution on behalf of the State asked for an adjournment and also that the lawmaker be remanded in Port-Harcourt Correctional Centre pending his trial but lead defence counsel said that bail application was before the court and had asked the court to consider it.
In the end however May 20 was fixed by the court for ruling on the bail application and later shifted to Wednesday (today) being May 25.
The federal lawmaker was arrested by security operatives on April 27 as he arrived at the Zonal Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Aba Road for screening as governorship aspirant of the party for next year’s governorship election in Rivers State.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Port-Harcourt on Monday ordered the Port-Harcourt Correctional Centre to release Hon. Dagogo based on a previous order made by the court to release him on bail.
The order was made by presiding judge of the court, Honourable Justice E. A. Obile, on May 23.
