Dino Melaye Spent 11 Hours On Tree Hiding – Court Declares

Former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has been discharged and acquitted by Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the High Court in Abuja of giving what was thought to be the false information that he spent 11 hours hiding on a tree to escape his political enemies in Kogi State.

The court in its ruling, delivered on Monday, cleared Dino Melaye of all charges relating to accusations of providing false information, particularly about an alleged assassination attempt on his life in 2017.

GWG.ng reports that Dino Melaye had following the political crisis in Kogi State alleged that he spent 11 hours hiding on a tree after he disappeared while on a road journey to Kogi State to appear for trial. He said at that time after he disappeared that he was attacked by alleged assassins who wanted to burn his vehicle forcing him to bolt into the bush to escape the alleged attempt to burn him inside his vehicle.

“I jumped into the bush, and I started running,” Mr Melaye said. “They pursued me and I was able to outmanoeuvre them and climb a tree.

“I was on top of the three when I saw them run past looking frantically for me. When they didn’t find me, they also ran back,” Melaye told Premium Times.

This verdict is a major legal victory for the former senator, allowing him to move forward free from the legal challenges that have lingered for years.

The case, which began in 2018, stemmed from an investigation into the alleged attempt on Melaye’s life in his hometown of Ayetoro-Gbede, Kogi State. The Attorney General’s Office filed charges against him, asserting that his claims were unsubstantiated. Despite pleading not guilty in March 2018, the case saw significant delays, including the death of the original presiding judge, Justice Aromeh Akogu, on December 31, 2017.

Over the years, Melaye continued to make headlines with other accusations of attempts on his life, including a 2018 claim that Kogi State police tried to kill him and a 2019 allegation of conspiracy by the Kogi State government, which was denied by state authorities.

After the court ruling, Dino Melaye took to social media to express his gratitude, particularly to his legal team. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he shared his relief, saying, “I take life as it comes, but in all the vicissitudes of life, I trust in God only. He is always with the just.”

This court ruling brings a close to a protracted legal battle that has significantly impacted the political career of Senator Dino Melaye and now restores his public standing after years of legal turmoil.
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