Senior Lagos Lawyer, Others Remanded In Custody Over Alleged Felony

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Saturday, September 14th, 2024

(AFRICAN – EXAMINER) – Barrister Vincent Okafor, a Lagos, South-West, Nigeria based senior lawyer has been arraigned and remanded in Enugu correctional Center custody by the police over alleged promotion of local war in his hometown, Agunese Mmaku community in the Awgu Council Area of Enugu State.

The legal practitioner’s arraignment brings to three natives of the locality currently in custody for the same offense. The two other accused persons are Mr. David Okeke and Chukwu Theophilus, while others are at large.

Okafor’s arrest in Lagos and subsequent arraignment on in Enugu followed an Order by an Enugu Magistrate Court on a three-count charge, bordering on “felony and carrying out a warlike undertaking against the traditional ruler of the Community Igwe Nevobasi and the members/indigenes of locality.

The court remanded him in prison on the basis that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.

It would be recalled that the detainees are also having a pending matter with the office of the Inspector General of police that dragged them to the federal High Court Enugu Division for giving the police false information against Igwe Nevobasi contrary to section 125A (1) (B) of the Criminal Code.

They had accused the IGP of collecting a 10, 000, 000 ten million naira bribe from the Monarch, an allegation the police authorities denied and dragged to court with charge No. FHC/EN//CR/45/2.

Their ordeal may not be unconnected to the town union election in Agunese Mmaku, which was shelved by the Monarch over a security report by operatives of the state security Services DSS.

Part of the charge sheet with Charge No. MEN/590C/2024 reads: “That you Vincent Okafor ‘m’ and others now at large on the 13th day of August 2024 at Agunese Mmaku in Agwu Magisterial District holden in Enugu did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Promoting Local War and thereby committed an offense punishable under Section 495 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol.II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.

“Count II: That you Vincent Okafor ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did without lawful authority, carry on a warlike undertaking against HRH Igwe Cyprian M. Nevobasi ‘m’ by attacking him with guns, cutlasses, axes and other dangerous weapons and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol.II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004

A source close to the Monarch’s palace who does not want his name in print while speaking to our Correspondent on the issue said: “These are people who threatened to cause violence in Mmaku community by importing unidentified armed men into the community during the town union executive election some years ago.

“When the King HRH Igwe Cyprian Nevobasi in his wisdom had to avoid violence by postponing the election on the advice of the DSS director of Awgu local government, those guys ran to the police with fictitious petitions against the King, trying to mislead the police with such fictitious petition.

“But the police found out that these things were unfounded and malicious. They later turned around and accused the inspector general of police of collecting 10 million naira bribe from His Royal Highness, an allegation the police didn’t find funny.

And charged them to court

However, a native of the Community who craved anonymity said he has known the detained lawyer for years, stating that as far as he is concerned he is being accused falsely by some wealthy powerful individual in the locality, adding that the Barrister has a wonderful pedigree in his law profession.

He is a peaceful and complete gentleman, so, I don’t know why some persons always derive joy in making life unbearable for their fellow human beings” he stated