A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and the fourth defendant over charges of alleged forgery of the Nigerian Senate Standing Rules.
The decision was made on Monday when they appeared before the court.
The court asked the accused to produce two reasonable sureties who must be Nigerian men or women.
It stated that the sureties must own properties in Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse II or Garki areas in the Federal Capital Territory.
The trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, said that the accused would be remanded in Kuje Prison, if they fail to meet the bail conditions.
The court has adjourned the proceedings till July 11 for commencement of trial.
Earlier, the court witnessed an unprecedented turn of events when the Senate President and his deputy, Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu arrived. At their arrival, all the lawyers and members of the outer bar were asked to vacate the courtroom, so as to enable Senators get seats.
Some of the lawyers who had their matters listed for the day did not however take this lightly, as some of them were seen arguing against the move, shouting : “no lawyer should leave the courtroom, this is our place and we have jurisdiction here”.
This move by the court registrars in Justice Yusuf Halilu’s court was based on his instruction to decongest the courtroom, before he would sit on any of the matters lister before him for the day.
Normalcy was however restored after the registrars successfully made the lawyers stand, while some Senators like Dino Melaye, Stella Oduah and others were ‘smuggled’ into the courtroom.
The duo of Saraki, Ekweremadu, a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi, had been accused of forging the Senate standing rules which led to the election of the new leadership.
As at the time of filing this report, the accused persons have been docked but pleas have not been taken.
