The Court of Appeal in Lagos sat this morning to consider the application for bail for PDP jailbird Chief Bode George, on health grounds. The court, which curiously had its entire panel members arrive from Abuja where all federal judges have been meeting at a "Judges Conference", sat without Bode Rhodes-Vivour, the lead judge who they claimed was “sick”.

Justice Rhodes-Vivour the judge that Saharareporters identified as the arrowhead of the plot to spirit Chief George out of jail by way of a favorable ruling, had come under intense scrutiny and pressure from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last week. Last week the EFCC lawyer, Festus Keyamo wrote a petition to the president of the Court of Appeal requesting that Rhodes-Vivour recuse himself on the basis of evidence that he had tried to meddle in the trial and final sentencing of George at the Lagos high court.

When the appeal court began sitting today, lawyers to George brought up additional applications asking to consolidate the bail application of the four other persons jailed along with Chief George, but EFCC counsel objected arguing that they were only served the notice of appeal pertaining only to George. The panel therefore rose, met for a few minutes and agreed that the applications are consolidated, while the EFCC legal team is fully notified. The case was then adjourned till December 1st 2009 for hearing while George and his co-accused remain in prison.