The member of the House of Representatives Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, who boasted that he could make a bolt driver “disappear” and that even the Inspector General of Police would not be able to do anything, has been arraigned in Abuja.
Ikwechegh caused national outrage when he assaulted a bolt driver, Stephen Abuwatseya that came to deliver a parcel at his Abuja residence, and further made threatening comments on him.
But the case took a different dimension when Abuwatseya who recorded the assault on his phone uploaded the video on social media, causing a national uproar.
The Police authority which raised eye brows over the use of the name of the Inspector General of police by the embattled Representative subsequently invited him for interrogation and subsequently arraigned him before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Kuje, on Wednesday.
His public apology over the act could not save him from the long arm of the law.
The lawmaker, who is representing Aba North and South federal constituency of Abia State, pleaded not guilty to a First Information Report that the Nigerian Police Force entered against him before the court. The charge against the defendant bordered on abuse of office, assault, and threat to life.
Following his plea of innocence, the prosecution counsel, A. Umar, applied for a date for full-blown hearing to commence in the matter.
However, counsel to the defendant made an oral application for his release on bail, pending the determination of the case.
The defendant contended that the charge against him was bailable, adding that his right to presumption of innocence was guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
In his ruling, Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id held that he was minded to accede to the defendant’s application for bail and granted the lawmaker bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in the like sum.
The court said that the sureties must not only reside within its jurisdiction but also provide their utility bills as proof of residence.
It subsequently adjourned the matter to November 8 for trial.
