Alleged treason: Court denies Imo ex-deputy gov bail

Imo State High Court denies Imo ex-deputy gov, Gerald Irona bail

 

Justice S.I. Opara of the Imo State High Court in Owerri, the state capital, denied bail to Gerald Irona, the state’s former lieutenant governor, on Wednesday.

 

The judge denied bail to Irona after the prosecution argued that he submitted his bail application late on Monday.

 

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The prosecution argued that as of Wednesday morning, when the defendant was arraigned, the 48 hours permitted by law for the prosecution to respond on legal issues were still in effect.

 

They stated that it would be illegal for the judge to consider the bail application in the absence of a counter-bail application from the prosecutors.

 

However, one of the accused’s attorneys, S.I. Imo, urged the judge to hear the application and grant his client bail, arguing that as a former member of the House of Representatives and former deputy governor of the state, his client met the legal requirements to be granted bail.

 

After hearing the arguments, the judge denied bail for Irona.

 

He postponed the case until March 22 so that the prosecutors could submit their counter-bail affidavit.

 

Tuesday’s scheduled arraignment of Irona was delayed after it was announced that his case file had not been transmitted to the court.

 

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The police in the state had on Thursday charged Irona with three counts bordering on treason before the Magistrates Court in Owerri.

 

After hearing the arguments for and against Irona’s bail, Magistrate C.N Ezerioha denied him bail and ordered he be remanded in Owerri prison custody.

 

The police have filed three charges against him, which read as follows: “That you, Hon. Gerald Irona, in January 2020 at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, conspired with others now at large to commit treason, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 37(2) of the criminal code, cap c 38, law of the federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo State.

 

“That you, Hon. Gerald Irona, in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, made several utterances to the effect that you would make Imo state ungovernable, and immediately thereafter, hoodlums launched several attacks on Imo state with the intent to intimidate or overawe the governor of Imo state, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 37 of the criminal code, cap. c. 38, law of the federation of Nigeria,

 

“That you, Hon. Gerald Irona, on January 15, 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, converted to your own use two land cruiser jeeps (V8 and v6) and one Toyota Hilux vehicle valued at four hundred and ninety three million naira, which are the property of the Imo state government, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 390 (9) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo State.

 

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