Tony John, Port Harcourt
A Port Harcourt chief magistrates’ court yesterday remanded two pilots of Carveton Helicopters, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari, in prison custody for allegedly intentionally disobeying the Executive Order issued by the Rivers State Governor aimed at checking the spread of coronavirus in the state.
The court presided over by Chief Magistrate D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi remanded the two pilots at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre till May 19, when their trial would commence.
Ihua-Maduenyi ruled that COVID-19 tests be carried out on the two pilots to ascertain their status.
The pilots, who were arrested by the Rivers State Police Command, were arraigned by the State Police Command via charge number: PMC/532C/2020.
Prosecution counsel and officer-in-charge, Legal, of the Rivers State Police Command, Gladys Amadi, told the court that the acts of the two pilots were capable of putting the entire state in danger of contracting coronavirus.
She urged the court to remand them in prison to enable the police conclude its investigation. She noted that allowing the accused persons roam the streets would endanger others in the state.
According to her, remanding the pilots will also stop them from further violating the Executive Order. The state Attorney General, Zacheus Adango, was also in court.
The pilots faced a four-count charge. Count one stated: “That you Samuel Ugorji (m), Samuel Buhari (m) and others now at large as pilot and co-pilot of Twin-Otter, Carveton Helicopters on the 7th day of April, 2020, at the Air Force Base , Port Harcourt, in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit misdemeanour to wit: disobedience to lawful order and thereby committed an offence under section 517A of the criminal code CAP 37, Vol 11 Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.