Today, on May 27, Justice Inyang Eden of the Federal High Court in Abuja declined the bail application of Senator Rochas Okorocha.
Okorocha was forcibly taken into custody by the EFCC from his residence in Abuja on Tuesday, May 24. The agency stated that the former Imo state governor had repeatedly disregarded invitations for questioning regarding allegations of fraud against him.
Representing Imo West in the National Assembly, Okorocha had filed an ex-parte application, basing his bail request on the claim that he is a presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress, APC, and that his political aspirations would be at risk without bail.
In the ruling on the bail application, Justice Eden expressed reluctance to grant him bail and instructed Okorocha to notify the Federal Government to come and justify his detention.
Okorocha had been scheduled for arraignment on N2.9 billion money laundering charges before the same judge twice but has refused to appear in court.