Court Imprisons Ebonyi Labour Party Senatorial Candidate, Linus Okorie
An Ebonyi State Magistrate Court has remanded in prison, the Labour Party’s Senatorial Candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial district, Linus Okorie.
Magistrate Linda Ogodo made the remand order on Tuesday, for lack of jurisdiction in the charge bordering on alleged conspiracy and murder preferred against Okorie brought before her.
The Labour Party Senatorial Candidate was charged on April 5, 2022, for conspiring among others to commit a felony to murder, promoting inter-communal war and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516A of Criminal Code Law, Cap 33 volume 1 Law of Ebonyi 2009.
The count charges No. MAB/574/2022 against Okorie and others at large on the same date and place in the aforesaid Magistrate district, unlawfully caused the death of Mr Donatus Okoro.
The offence is punishable under section 319 of the criminal code law, Cap 33 vol. 1 laws of Ebonyi 2009.
Addressing journalists in Abakaliki, Okorie’s lead Counsel, Chikodili Nome, alleged that the intention of the charges against his client was to keep him behind bar, weaken him and his supporters in the forthcoming February election.
Nome also alleged that the state government was resorting to self-help.
According to him, some charges are within the magistrate’s jurisdiction to entertain and grant bail.
He said, “We have seen details of the charges. What happened here today is abuse to judicial proceedings.
“Anyone who is not comfortable with the judgement should go to court of Appeal and not to resort to self-help,” Nome said.
The court ordered the remand of the defendants at the correctional centre, pending issuance of legal advice and adjourned the matter to November 4, 2022.
