2023: Labour Party's Growing Fame Dwarfed as Court Remands Candidate in Prison for Alleged Murder
- A magistrate in Ebonyi has remanded the Labour Party's senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South, Linus Okorie
- Okorie was accused by the police command in the state of conspiracy, felony, and involvement in the death of one Donatus Okoro
- However, Okorie's lawyer, Chikodili Nome, has claimed that charges instituted against his client were plots to intimidate him and his supporters
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Ebonyi - Linus Okorie, the Labour Party's senatorial candidate for Ebonyi south, has been remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Centre in Abakaliki by a magistrate court in the state over alleged conspiracy and murder.
As stated by Chris Anyanwu, the spokesperson of the state police command in Ebonyi, on Monday, October 19, Okorie is also linked to drug-related offences, The Cable reports.
Source: UGC
Added to this, the police accused Okorie of inciting and provoking the violence that engulfed the Onicha community, leading to mayhem unleashed by a gang of gunmen back in 2021.
Even more, the former lawmaker was alleged to have spread fake news against Governor Dave Umahi, his political opponent eyeing the same senatorial seat.
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The force also mentioned that the senatorial candidate refused to honour several invitations from its offices.
He was arrested on Sunday over allegations of drug peddling and arraigned on Tuesday.
In the charge against Okorie, it was stated that his offences, conspiracy, felony, murder, and promoting inter-communal war, are punishable under section 516A of Criminal Code Law, Cap 33 volume 1 Law of Ebonyi 2009.
Okorie and his accomplices who are at large were also accused to have been instrumental in the death of one Donatus Okoro.
Okorie's lawyer denies client's alleged sins
However, Chikodili Nome, lead counsel to Okorie, said the charges against his client were aimed at keeping him behind bars and intimidating his supporters. He added that the state government was resorting to self-help.
Chikodili also insisted that the suit was an abuse of court process as there was a subsisting order of a Federal High Court barring the police and the state government from arresting and prosecuting Okorie.
The lawyer said:
“We have seen details of the charges. What happened here today is an abuse of judicial proceedings.
“Anyone who is not comfortable with the judgement should go to court of appeal and not resort to self-help.”
Although Linda Ogodo, the presiding magistrate, said the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, she ordered the remand of Okorie at the correctional facility, pending the issuance of legal advice.
Ogodo, therefore, adjourned the case to Friday, November 4.
Linus Okorie: Worried Nigerians make strange demand from Buhari ahead of 2023 elections in Ebonyi
The arrest of Okorie by suspected security agents in the state had continued to elicit reactions across Nigeria.
The reactions are from the a group, Worried Nigerian Citizens, that had called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Ebonyi state.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, October 17, the WNC, led by Moses Idika, decried the incessant attacks on the rule of law and the democratic rights of the Nigerian populace by agents of the state.
Source: Legit.ng
