Chief Perekeme Richard Kpodo, a former Security Adviser to Ex-Gov. Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa, being tried for alleged rape at State High Court 7 in Yenagoa was on Friday denied bail.

Kpodo was earlier on July 27 arraigned before a Magistrate court in Yenagoa for the same offence and was remanded in prison custody till August 10 for ruling on his bail application.

Kpodo who was re-arraigned on Tuesday before the Justice E Eradiri was charged on a two counts of unlawful detention and rape of one Teke Blessing on June 20, 2018, was brought into court lying on a stretcher.

The judge on sighting to accused who was brought to court in an ambulance ordered the prison officials to return him to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa where the suspect who had collapsed in court on Tuesday was receiving medicare.

The case subsequently continued in the absence of the accused.

Ruling on the bail application filed by Counsel to the accused Julius Iyekoroghe, Eradiri said that the bail application which was based on medical grounds did not indicate that the accused was not getting adequate medical attention from prison.

He said that his denial of bail was guided by the grievous nature of the charge which on conviction attracted life imprisonment.

“Rape is felony, I have discretionary powers to grant bail to the accused, but that power has been hampered by the opposing arguments of the prosecution who had argued that the accessed will influence the witnesses in this case.

“The bail application which was based principally on the health of the accused did not indicate that he will not get adequate medical attention from prison custody from where he is taken to Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.

“Also the medical report before the court did not indicate that the case was beyond the expertise of the Federal Medical Centre where he is currently receiving medical attention from prison custody, so bail is denied,” Eradri said.

The judge adjourned the case to September 21, 2018, for commencement of trial.

Counsel to the accused Iyekoroghe told the court that he was being intimidated by the Lead prosecuting Counsel Andrew Arthur who had earlier ordered the Investigating Police Officer in the case to summon him to the Police Headquarters.

He said that his invitation by the Police authorities while the case of his client was before a judge amounted to intimidation and hence his decision to draw the attention of the court to the incident which occurred when the court adjourned the matter earlier in the day to 3 pm for judgement on bail application.

Responding, Eradiri advised the defence counsel to table the matter at a later date within the trial as the Lead Defense Counsel was represented by another counsel adding that it would be appropriate to make the complaint in his presence.

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