Anambra: 96 In Court Over Electoral Offences

Ninety-six persons arrested during the February 6 governorship election in Anambra for electoral offences were on Friday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s court in Awka.

Lead Police Prosecutor, Mr. Adams Saleh, told Chief Magistrate Ngozi Okolonji that the suspects had planned to disrupt the election.

He said the suspects were, however, arrested by men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad on Feb. 5 at Amansea, near Awka.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The defence counsel, Mr. Vincent Obeta, told the court that the accused were innocent, adding that they had been in detention since their arrest.

He asked for bail for the suspects which was granted in the sum of N20,000 each, with a surety residing within the jurisdiction of the court.

Many  of the accused persons could not immediately get sureties.

The accused, who were paraded after the election by DIG John Ahmadu, were alleged to have attempted to hijack electoral materials.

Their arraignment was delayed till Friday due to the strike by judiciary workers which paralysed court sittings.

In another development, the Enugu State Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal has further adjourned all cases before it to April 1. All the seven petitions before it were first adjourned to March 26 to enable parties in the matter receive service. The Enugu council polls were conducted on December 5, 2009.

A further adjournment, however, became necessary when the tribunal on Friday discovered that pre-trial forms, a requirement for the cases, had not been served on the parties.

The tribunal then adjourned the next sittings to April 1, 9 and 16, to also allow for due exchange of briefs among counsel.

The tribunal also fixed April 16 for determination of whether one of the petitioners could withdraw from the suit, even before commencement of hearing.

Mr Bernard Eze, a candidate of the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA) for Igbo Eze South Local Government Council poll, had applied to withdraw as a petitioner in the suit.

A mild drama ensued when Eze’s counsel, Ikenna Aroh, opposed the application which was contained in a written letter to the tribunal.

But opposing counsel in the petition argued that the petitioner’s application was in order as he had the right to institute or withdraw from a suit on his own volition.

The Chairman of the three-man panel, Chinedu Ezeugwu, said the adjournment was necessary to enable the tribunal determine the matter.