Upon entering their “not guilty” plea as the charge was read to them, their lawyers, Mr. Rickey Tarfa and Chief Mike Ozhekome, both senior advocates of Nigeria moved their application for bail asking the court to grant them bail on self recognition.
According to Mr. Rickey Tarfa, the bail application is brought pursuant to sections 35 and 36(5) of the constitution as well as 340 and 341(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code. He prayed the court to note that both Farouk and Emenalo had been granted administrative bails which terms they have consistently kept.
He further intimated the court that the accused persons had both travelled outside the country severally since investigation commenced on the matter but still returned to the country without absconding from justice.
He also told the court that his clients had so far visited the Police Force Headquarters a record of 37 times during the course of investigation into the matter which had been concluded and urged the court to grant them bail on self recognition as members of the House of Representatives where Farouk, has been a four term member and chairman of the Committee on Education and Finance as well as member of ECOWAS Parliament for the past 12 years.
The court presided by Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi, Ruling over the application observed that the application for bail was filed and moved same day and noted that the court needs time to look at the application with a view to reaching a decision on the lawmakers application for bail.
He thereafter ordered that Farouk and Emenalo should be remanded in Kuje prison until the ruling on their bail application which is fixed for 8th February is given Approval .
