From Aloysius Attah,Onitsha
Hearing is expected to resume at the Chief Magistrate Court, Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Friday, January 26, this year in some criminal charges preferred against one Chijioke Peter Okaa, a businessman from Anambra state.
Okaa, a native of Nnobi is facing a five-countt charge of conspiracy, willful damages and giving false information to the Inspector-General of the Police( IGP )with intent to cause the police IGP to use his lawful powers to the injury or annoyance on one Miss Nzube Victoria Mbachu and one Bonaventure Ezekwenna, a Nigerian born veteran Army of the United States of America, USA.
In the charge No. MIS/12c/2023 brought by the police, the prosecuting police officers, C. I. Eze Esq. and Kyije Roland Abang Esq. from Legal/Prosecution Section, police headquarters, Abuja, alleged that the accused person, Okaa had between July 2020 and October, 2021 at Nnobi, Idemili Magisterial District, conspired with one Salako, now at large and forcefully entered into a landed property with a survey plan No. GEO-B AN425 which is actual and peaceable possession of the complainant, Bonaventure Ezekwenna with intent to commit offence therein.
The prosecution further alleged that Okaa and one Salako still at large had on April, 2022 at Nigerian Police Force, NPF Headquarters, allegedly gave false information to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP and his Investigating Police officers, IPOs that he duly purchased the land delineated in Survey plan No. GEO-B/AN425/2021from one Miss Nzube Victoria Mbachu, the fact you know to be false with intent to cause the IGP to use his lawful power to the injury or annoyance of the said Miss Nzube Victoria Mbachu and one Bonaventure Ezekwenna.
The prosecution also accused Okaa and Salako still at large of willfully and unlawfully damaging a building estimated at N10 million, property of one Bonaventure Ezekwenna.
The offences, according to the prosecution, were contrary to Sections 75, 496 (a), 115, and 154 (1) (b) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Vol.11 Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, as amended, as well as Section 7 of the Prohibition of Fraudulent Practices on Land, Property and other Related Matters Connected thereto, Law of Anambra state of Nigeria, 2012.
When the charges were read, the accused person pleaded not gúilty to the charges and the Presiding Chief Magistrate, Ken Nwoye, granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in the like sum.
The court, therefore,ordered that the surety must be a resident of Nnobi Magisterial District and adjourned the matter to January 26 for a formal handover of the case file to Anambra state Ministry of Justice for legal advise.
Reacting to the development, the complainant, Ezekwenna cried out to the Nigeria police high command over what he termed as conspiracy, attempted abduction and perhaps his assassination by those he identified as dubious and unscrupulous police officers at Zone 13, Ukpo, Anambra state, in conspiracy with Okaa, the accused person.
He alleged that the conspiracy, attempted abduction and perhaps his assassination was hatched and perpetrated at the premises of Zone 13 Zonal Police Command Ukpo, in a bid to forestal the trial of Okaa at Nnobi Chief Magistrate court where he was arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy, giving false information to the Inspector-General of the Police, IGP.
He alleged that the action of the police officers was intended to aid Okaa to cause the IGP to use his lawful power to the injury or annoyance on one Miss Nzube Victoria Mbachu and himself, Ezekwenna, after maliciously damaging his landed property worth over N10 million and still wanted to abduct and eliminate him.
When contacted, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, ZPPRO, SP Josephine Ihunwo, told newsmen on phone that the case had been transferred to Force Headquarters, Abuja, for thorough investigations.