Former Bayelsa Security Adviser re-arraigned for rape collapses in court

CHIEF Perekeme Richard Kpodo, a former Security Adviser to former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, on Tuesday collapsed while being re-arraigned for alleged rape at State High Court 7 sitting in Yenagoa.

It would be recalled that Kpodo was on Friday 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 was charged on two counts of unlawful detention and rape of one Miss Teke Blessing on June 20, 2018.

Kpodoh collapsed in the dock after pleading not guilty to the charge causing confusion amongst prison, court officials and other litigants as the court proceedings was temporarily suspended.

It took the combined efforts of prison officials and other litigants in court to assist in reviving the former security Adviser.

When the proceedings resumed, after twenty minutes interval Counsel to the accused Julius Iyekoroghe made an oral bail application, highlighting the fragile health condition of his client.

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“Yesterday I visited him in the prison as a result of his failing health, he was diagnosed and his blood pressure shot up drastically out of range to about 200 systolic 150 diastolic we ask that we take a bill application or a short adjournment.

“We pray the court to direct that he should be granted access to his doctors at the Federal Medical Center Yenagoa or a private medical facility of his choice because he has been on a very long management of his health.

“He has a history of liver and kidney issues in addition to being hypertensive he had once travelled to India for kidney and lungs related issues and we document to show,” Iyekoroghe said.

However, the trial judge, Justice E Eradiri, ruled that the Prison officials should take the accused to any government health facility of his choice.

He urged the defence counsel to file a signed bail of application and adjourned the case to August  3, for ruling on the bail application.