Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the remand of five persons at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, over their alleged complicity in the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The court ordered their remand shortly after their arraignment on a seven-count criminal charge bordering on terrorism and murder.
Although they pleaded not guilty to all the charges, the judge however, ordered that they be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the hearing of their bail application fixed for February 2.
The five defendants are Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod.
In the 7-count charge, the defendants were accused of terrorism offences by invading, vandalising and burning down Rivers State House of Assembly during the wake of political crisis that rocked Port Harcourt in October last year.
Beside allegedly burning down the State House of Assembly, they were also accused of killing a Superintendent of Police, (SP) Bako Agbashim and five police informants at Ahoada community of the state.
The police informants alleged to have been killed are Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu and Saturday Edi.
Government also accused them of using various cult groups, namely- Supreme Viking Confraternity, Degbam, Iceland and Greenland to unleash mayhem on the people of the state and their commercial activities.
However, when the charge against them marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024 was read, they all pleaded not guilty to the offences.
Although, the immediate past factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Edison Ehie, was not listed in the 7-count terrorism charges, he was however represented in court by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oluwole Aladedoyin on the grounds that his name featured prominently in the alleged offences.
He challenged the allegations that he was at large alongside other suspects.
Justice Olajuwon did not however allow further arguments on the grounds that he was not yet a defendant in the charge.
Shortly after the arraignment, the leader of the prosecuting team, Audu Garba applied for a date for full blown trial of the defendants.
However, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Lukman Fagbemi, who stood for Chime Eguma Ezebalike and Lukman Oladele, who are 1st and 2nd defendants, sought to move applications for their bail on the grounds that they have been in the police custody since last year.
The government lawyer, Audu Garba vehemently opposed the application on the grounds that he had just been served with the bail applications and needed time to study them and file counter affidavits.
Justice Olajuwon agreed with the prosecution lawyer that the bail applications were not ripe for hearing and fixed February 2 for hearing of all bail applications.
Pending hearing and determination of the bail applications, the Judge ordered that the five defendants be taken to Kuje Prison on remand and be returned to court on the adjourned date.
Specifically, the defendants were alleged to have on October 29, 2023, at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, conspired to commit acts of terrorism by willful destruction of public properties by invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly, an offence punishable under section 26 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
Part of the charges read, “That you, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37 years, business man of Street 5, Radio Estate Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Prince Lukman Oladele, 47 years of Okocha Street, Port Harcourt, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Hon Edison Ehie and others now at large on October 29, 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, while acting in concert conspired together to commit felony to wit: acts of terrorism by willful destruction of public properties by invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 26 (1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
“That you Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37 years, business man of Street 5, Radio Estate Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Prince Lukman Oladele, 47 years of Okocha Street, Port Harcourt, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Hon Edison Ehie and others now at large on October 29, 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, while acting in concert and armed with dynamite, iron rods, lighters and other offensive weapons willfully and maliciously invaded, attacked and set fire on the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Alex Enumah
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