On Thursday, a magistrate court in Owerri ordered that Gerald Irona, the former constable of Imo state, be remanded in the Owerri Correctional Center.
This came after the presiding magistrate, C.N Ezerioha, heard the prosecution and defence counsels’ arguments and counterarguments.
During the defence S. I Imo, counsel to the ex-deputy governor, sought release for the former constable on the basis of self-recognition, and even requested that a state senator, Frank Ugboma, be ready to take Irona on bail.
Nevertheless, the main prosecution attorney, Sunday Ogbuji, objected to the bail requirement, claiming that the magistrate court lacked jurisdiction to grant the accused release or even hear the case.
It was the submission of the prosecution counsel, that the case against Irona, bothered on felony, and that only the judge of the high court could grant bail to Irona.
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According to the three-count charge read: “That you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, did conspire with others now at large, to commit felony to wit: treason and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 37(2) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.
“That you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, did make several utterances to the effect that you will make Imo state ungovernable and immediately afterward hoodlums levied several attacks on Imo state with the intent to intimidate or overawe the governor of Imo state and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 37 of the criminal code, cap, c 38, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.
“That you Hon Gerald Irona on the 15th day of January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, do convert to your use two land cruiser jeeps ( V8 and v6) and one Toyota Hilux vehicle valued four hundred and Ninety-three million naira property of Imo state government thereby committed an offense punishable under section 390 ( 9) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.”
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