Court remands Enugu monarch, 4 others for homicide
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An Enugu Magistrate Court, on Thursday, remanded the normal ruler of the Igga group within the Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, Igwe Herbert Ukuta, and a former councillor of the group in jail for alleged homicide and being members of a terrorist group.
The monarch, who had been in detention for one month and two days on the state felony investigation division, and 4 others had been arraigned by the Enugu State Police Command on a 10-count cost earlier than an Enugu North Magistrate Court 1.
In Charge No. MEN/320c/2024, between the commissioner of police (Kanayo Uzuegbu) and Igwe Herbert Ukuta (62); Festus Okonkwo (62); Ofadile Titus Henry (39); Sunday Ugwu (26) and Obinna Ayogu (54), the group leaders had been accused of conspiracy, being members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its safety wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN); homicide of 5 individuals, together with two policemen; and being a member of a terrorist group.
The police mentioned the offences allegedly dedicated by the defendants are opposite to Section 26(1) and punishable underneath Section 25(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and Section 516(A) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Some of the fees learn, “That you, HRM Igwe Herbert Ukuta ‘m’; Festus Okonkwa ‘m’; Ofadile Titus Henry ‘m’; Sunday Ugwu ‘m’; Obinna Ayogu ‘m’ and others now at giant on the day of May, 2024, at about 1315 hours alongside Adarice Farm Road, Adarice in Uzo-Uwani Magisterial District holden in Enugu, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit Membership of a Terrorist Group and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Section 26(1) and punishable underneath Section 25(3) and Section 18 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“That you, HRH Igwe Herbert Ukuta ‘m’ and Obinna Ayogu ‘m’ on the identical date, time, and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District holden in Enugu, did recruit Festus Okonkwa ‘m’; Ofodile Titus Henry ‘m’; Sunday Ugwu ‘m’ and others now at giant into the membership and actions of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN), which is a proscribed terrorist group by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and thereby dedicated an offence punishable underneath Section 18 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“That you, HRH Igwe Herbert Ukuta ‘m’ and Obinna Ayogu ‘m’ on the identical date, time, and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District held in Enugu, knowingly engaged within the actions of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network inside the Igga Community and Adarice Farm Settlement, hid and didn’t report the identical to the legislation enforcement businesses, and thereby dedicated an offence punishable underneath Section 16(1)(a) and (b) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“That you, HRH Igwe Herbert Ukuta’m’; Festus Okonkwo ‘m’; Ofodile Titus Henry ‘m’; Sunday Ugwu ‘m’; Obinna Ayogu ‘m’ and others now at giant, on the third day of May, 2024, at about 13:15 hours alongside Adarice Farm Road, Adarice in Uzo-Uwani Magisterial District holden in Enugu, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: homicide and thereby dedicated an offence punishable underneath Section 516(A) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you, HRH Igwe Herbert Ukuta ‘m’, Festus Okonkwo ‘m’, Ofodile Titus Henry ‘m’, Sunday Ugwu ‘m’, Ayogu ‘m’ and others now at giant on the identical date, time and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District holden in Enugu did unlawfully kill Police Inspector Nwoga Cornellus ‘m’ by capturing him with a gun, which led to his loss of life and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Section 316(1) and punishable underneath Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you HRH Igwe Herbert Ukuta ‘m’, Festus Okonkwo ‘m’, Ofodile Titus Henry ‘m’, Sunday Ugwu ‘m’, Obinna Ayogu ‘m’ and others now at giant on the identical date, time and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District holden in Enugu did unlawfully kill Police Constable Ikowa Anthony ‘m’ by capturing him with a gun, which led to his loss of life and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Section 316(1) and punishable underneath Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you HRH Igwe Herbert Ukuta ‘m’, Festus Okonkwo ‘m’, Ofodile Titus Henry ‘m’, Sunday Ugwu ‘m’, Obinna Ayogu ‘m’ and others now at giant on the identical date, time and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District holden in Enugu did unlawfully kill Emegoni Aloysius ‘m’ by capturing him with a gun, which led to his loss of life and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Section 316(1) and punishable underneath Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you HRH Igwe Herbert Ukuta ‘m’, Festus Okonkw ‘m’, Ofodile Titus Henry ‘m’, Sunday Ugwu ‘m’, Obinna Ayogu ‘m’ and others now at giant on the identical date, time and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District holden in Enugu did unlawfully kill Adada Joshua ‘m’ by capturing him with a gun, which led to his loss of life and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Section 316(1) and punishable underneath part 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you, HRH Igwe Herbert Ukuta ‘m’, Festus Okonkwo Titus Henry”, Sunday Ugwu ‘m’, Obinna Ayogu ‘m’ and others now at giant on the identical date, time and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District holden in Enugu did unlawfully kill Eze Fidelis ‘m’ by capturing him with a gun, which led to his loss of life and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Section 316(1) and punishable underneath Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
When the fees had been learn to them, they didn’t make any pleas, because the Justice of the Peace didn’t have the jurisdiction to entertain the case as the fees had been introduced underneath the federal act.
All the accused had been subsequently ordered to be remanded at Enugu Maximum Correctional Centre.
