The embattled former Governor of Imo State and one of the presidential aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Rochas Okorocha, is still in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as he has not been able to meet his bail conditions.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court on Monday granted Okorocha, who was arrested by the anti-graft agency over alleged N2.9 billion fraud, bail of N500 Million with a surety in the same amount.
However, while the screening of the APC presidential aspirants which started on Monday is expected to end on Tuesday (today), EFCC’s Public Relations Officer, Wilson Uwujaren, told Punch that the former governor who paid N100 million for the party’s presidential expression of interest and nomination form is still their custody due to his inability to meet the bail conditions.
Uwujaren said, “Former Governor Rochas Okorocha is still under protective custody of the EFCC pending when he meets his bail conditions as ordered by the court.
“We’re not holding back to let him go, but there are procedures for bail, and he has to meet the required procedures as stated by the judge in court today.”
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But one of Okorocha’s legal counsels, Steve Asimobi, said that the former governor would be attending the ongoing screening exercise of presidential aspirants later today in Abuja.
“His Excellency, Rochas Okorocha would be attending the APC presidential screening later today. The court has granted him bail. Of course there were two options, either to remand him in Kuje prison or the EFCC custody pending when we meet the bail condition. Hence the judge asked the EFCC to keep him in protective custody, and that is a usual administrative procedure. The judge also ordered the EFCC to return his international passport to the court today with immediate effect.
“As I speak to you, the sureties required are currently in court with all the requirements, and they’re processing it. So, once we’re gone with these, the judge would order the EFCC to release him. He’s only under the protective custody of the EFCC based on the directive of the court,” Asimobi said.
