FCT Court Remands Bayelsa Senator In Prison

Justice Christopher Oba of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has remanded a serving Senator, Benson Konbowei, in Kuje Correctional Centre.

The Bayelsa Central senator is being tried by the Police on three-count charges bordering on forgery of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate.

He was arraigned before the court on March 26 and he pleaded not guilty to the charge brought against him.

The court, however, granted the Senator N50m bail but ruled that he should be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of the bail conditions.

In the charge marked: CR/028/2023, the Inspector General of Police accused Konbowei of fraudulently forging a document titled ‘Certificate of Exemption’ with number 000256454 and dated July 4, 2008.

The police said the Senator acted contrary to the provisions of Sections 366,156 and 158 of the Penal Code Act CAP 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and was liable to punishment under Section 364 of the same Act.

Upon his arraignment earlier on Tuesday, the Senator pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court allowed him to go home and fixed the hearing of his bail application for Thursday, March 28, 2024.

After listening to counsels in the matter, the Senator was granted bail by the court.

The court, in its ruling, said, “The law is settled that bail is the discretion of the court. Taking a look at the matter, it is not a capital offence.”

He, therefore, granted the Senator N50m bail with two sureties in like sum.

The judge said the sureties must own landed properties with Certificates of Occupancy in the Federal Capital Territory.

The judge, however, ordered that the Senator be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter till June 24, 25 and 27 for hearing.