The Majority Leader of the Rivers House of Assembly, Mr Chidi Lloyd, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge levelled against him. Lloyd was arraigned before a Port Harcourt High Court on a six-count charge of attempted murder, conspiracy, wounding, assault, and malicious damage.

The Judge, Justice Latan Nyordee, said the plea of the accused could be taken on the ground that he had been properly arraigned before court. Nyordee said that the earlier oral announcement of the Attorney-General of the state, Mr Nwogu Boms, taking over the case was premature.

“Now that the accused is properly arraigned, he could take his plea,” he said. Lloyd pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge preferred against him. The Attorney-General of Rivers announced his appearance and took over the case. The Police Counsel, Mr Donald Demwigwe, told tsaidhe court that since the accused had been properly arraigned and his plea taken, he was not opposed to the attorney-general taking over the case.

Mr Beluolisa Nwofor, Counsel to Lloyd, said that he had applied for his bail through a motion on notice which the court graciously allowed him to argue. Nwofor later told newsmen that he argued a motion for his client’s bail because all his offences were bailable and he (Lloyd) had been in detention beyond the number of days allowed by law.

But the Rivers Attorney-General said that he wanted the counter affidavit filed against the bail of the accused to be struck out. The Judge, Nyordee, said that the counter affidavit had been struck out and the motion for bail would be heard in the next court sitting. While adjourning the case to Aug. 7, for hearing, Nyordee said that the accused should be remanded in prison custody.

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