An Owerri Magistrate Court yesterday ordered that the immediate past Deputy Governor of Imo State, Engr. Gerald Irona be remanded in the Owerri Correctional Service facility.
Magistrate C. N. Ezerioha gave the order immediately after hearing the prosecution and defence counsels respectively, in the suit filed by the state government against the former deputy governor.
In her ruling, the presiding Magistrate declared that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter and ordered for his remand since some aspects of the case bothered on felony.
Immediately after arraignment of Engr. Itona, who pleaded not guilty to the 3-counts charges levelled against him, his lead counsel S.I. Imo Esq, moved a motion for his bail on self recognition as a former deputy governor of the state.
He expressed worry that the embattled ex-deputy governor could not be granted bail on self recognition despite the fact that a serving state lawmaker, Hon. Frank Ugboma, representing Oguta state constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly was present and willing to take him on bail.
In his submission, the prosecutor, Sunday Ogbuji, opposed the bail application, contending that the magistrate lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter because a criminal charge against the former deputy governor, in the suit.
The prosecutor who stated that only a judge of a High Court could grant Irona bail in the circumstance, insisted that the Magistrate Court lacked jurisdiction in the matter.
Ruling on the submissions by counsels to both parties, the magistrate agreed with the prosecution that she lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter or grant the accused bail and therefore ordered for him to be remanded in custody.
She further ordered for the case file to be transferred to the state Department of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for necessary action.
The charges preferred against Irona were conspiracy, threat to make Imo ungovernable and convertion two landcruiser jeeps(V8 and V6) and one Hilux vehicle worth ₦493million belonging to Imo State Government, after leaving office as deputy governor.
The charges read, “That you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, did conspired with others now at large, to commit felony to wit: treason and thereby committed an offence 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 afterwards hoodlums levied several attacks on Imo state with intent to intimidate or overawe the governor of Imo state and thereby committed an offence 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 converted to your own 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 offence punishable under section 390 ( 9) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.”
Reacting on development, one of the defence counsels, Kissinger Ikeokwu Esq, Imo PDP Legal Adviser, expressed optimism that Irona would be granted bail at the High Court.
The lawyer pointed out that the arrest and prosecution of the former deputy governor was politically motivated stressing that Governor, Hope Uzodimma, is using state mights to intimidate, harass opposition leaders, especially PDP chieftains in the state.
The police Wednesday stormed the residence of Irona, arrested him and refused to grant him bail allegedly on the insistence the state government until they arraigned him in court on Thursday.
