By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police, on Wednesday, arraigned former Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, before an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, for allegedly giving false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa.
In the charge marked CR/993/2020, Police, alleged that Ohakim who was governor of Imo state from 2007 to 2011, lied that the lady threatened him with a gun, and equally made a false claim that he had a plot of land for sale in Lagos State.
He was alleged to have unlawfully dropped the name of the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, as the owner of the purported land situated at Ikeja, Lagos state.
Meanwhile, the former governor pleaded not guilty to the 3-count charge that was read to him before trial Justice Samira Bature.
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Ohakim, through his lawyer, Chief Ken Njemanze, SAN, urged the court to release him on bail, pending the hearing and determination of the case against him.
Though Police lawyer, Mr Stanley Nwodo, opposed the bail request, he was however overruled by Justice Bature who granted the Defendant bail to the tune of N10million with one surety in like sum.
The court ordered that the surety must be a reputable person in the society with a verifiable address within the Federal Capital Territory.
Police had urged the court to deny the former governor bail, alleging that he would interfere with some of its witnesses.
It told the court that the Defendant repeatedly spurned several invitations, resulting in the issuance of several warrants of arrest against him.
Consequently, in his ruling, Justice Bature ordered the Defendant not to interfere with any of the prosecution witnesses, warning that such conduct will amount to the revocation of his bail.
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The case was subsequently adjourned till January 25, 2021,How reformed is FG and her institutions after the #ENDSARS protests? for trial.
Ohakim was read the charge before the court, alleged to have committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.
The charge against him read; ”That you Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the 23rd day of May 2019 at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did unlawfully gave false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that she threatened you with gun knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.
”That you Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the 23rd day of May 2019, at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did unlawfully gave false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that you have a plot of land for sale at Lagos state, knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.
“That you Ikedi Ohakim on or about the 23rd day of May 2019 at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did unlawfully used derogatory the name of Raji Fashola as the owner of the purported land situated at Ikeja, Lagos state and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968”.
