Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Aba North and South federal constituency of Abia State, has been granted a bail of N500,000 after an assault on a Bolt driver at his residence in Abuja.
The lawmaker on Wednesday, October 30, appeared before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court at Kuje as he is facing charges over the assault.
The lawmaker pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him in the First Information Report filed by the Nigerian Police Force. The allegations include abuse of office, assault, and threats to life.
Following Ikwechegh’s plea, the prosecution, represented by counsel A. Umar, requested a date for a full hearing of the case. In response, the defense counsel made an oral application for bail, arguing that the charges were bailable offenses and emphasizing the defendant’s constitutional right to presumption of innocence under the 1999 Constitution.
In his ruling, Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id expressed his inclination to grant bail to the defendant. As a result, he set the bail amount at N500,000, requiring two sureties in the same sum. The court stipulated that the sureties must reside within its jurisdiction and provide utility bills as proof of residence.
The court then adjourned the proceedings until November 8 for trial.
This incident gained significant attention after a video surfaced on social media showing Ikwechegh repeatedly slapping the Bolt driver, identified as Stephen Abuwatseya. In the video, the lawmaker was heard threatening the driver, claiming he could make him disappear without a trace.
In light of the public outcry and condemnation following his actions, Ikwechegh later issued a public apology for his behavior. Among those present in court on Wednesday was Deji Adeyanju, the attorney representing the Bolt driver, who is the nominal complainant in the case.
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