Former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha and his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu were absent on Monday as the police formally arraigned 14 persons suspected to be the ex-governor’s loyalists.
Among those arraigned include Okorocha’s ADC, Eberendu Chimechefulem, his legislative aide, Steve Asinuobi and 12 others.
They were later a N5million bail for each of the 14 defendants amounting to N70 million.
A mild drama had played out in court before the magistrate delivered ruling in the bail application when one of the 14 suspects, Darlington Ibekwe slumped inside the courtroom.
Ibekwe and 13 other loyalists of Senator Okorocha, were accused of conspiring among themselves to disobey a lawful order issued by the state by removing the seal of the state government and entering into the sealed premises of Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartments belonging to Okorocha.
Police prosecutor, Omo-Osagie M. A. told the court that Okorocha’s former appointees, Lasbery Okaforanyanwu, Ijeoma Igboanusi and his son in-laws, Uche Nwosu and Dr. Uzoma Anwuka, were at large.
While Ibekwe was also accused of publishing a recorded defamatory matter on social media with intent to injure the reputation of the state government and the person of Governor Hope Uzodimma by exposing to hatred, contempt, ridicule and damage his reputation, Olu Chizoba was charged with unlawful possession of double barrel pump action gun without license.
After a six-count charge was read to the suspects, council to the defendants, Eddy Onyema, sought for their bail, assuring that they would return to the court to take their trial.
Onyema noted that none of the charges against the defendants was a capital offence, said, “worst, some of them are felony. That’s why we’re seeking for their bail”.
When the magistrate, B. U. Adikaibe, returned to the courtroom for her ruling, a suspect, Ibekwe, slumped.
He was however, revived by his fellow suspects, who pleaded for water with which he was revived.
After the incident, the court had without delay given its ruling by granting all 14 accused persons bail with N5 million each totaling N70 million, a condition the court said must be fulfilled before they would regain their freedom.
Those arraigned with Ibekwe included Obasi Goodluck, Nwaiwu Ndubuisi, Median Ijeoma, Obor Victor, Ucheka Claudin, Sunday Chisom and Ekpendu Peace.
Others were Nev F. Raphael, Basil Mba, Steve Asimobi, Ebere Nwokeji, Eberendu Chimechifulam and Olu Chizoba.
This Post: Okorocha, Uche Nwosu absent as Police arraign 14 ex-Gov’s loyalists was approved and published by Ojombo Media Editor and may not be republished elsewhere without prior written permission from the Editor.
