By Okey Alozie
An Owerri Magistrate Court presided over by Her Worship N.C Ezerioha on Thursday 9th of March 2023 refused the bail application submitted by Barr. Stanely Imo (SAN) demanding the release of his client, His Excellency, Chief Gerald Irona, a former Deputy Governor of Imo State who was arraigned in court over alleged Treason and Felony.
The Magistrate after listening to both arguments made by the prosecuting counsel and the Defence couusel resolved that her court has no jurisdiction to grant bail to the accused based on the magnitude of the charges presented before her. She concluded that the accused person should be taken to the Correctional Centre Owerri, pending when the case will come up again for hearing.
Earlier, the police lawyer presented three (3) charges against the former Deputy Governor, Irona. First, he was accused of having in his possession Toyota Hilux vehicles which belonging to the State Government.
Second charge is that he made a statement in January 2020 that he will make Imo State ungovernable which allegedly amounted to treason.
The third charge is felony.
The prosecuting counsel maintained that such offences required heavy punishment and should be taken as a serious case. It was on that ground that he requested that Irona be taken to prison, adding that the Magistrate court of this kind cannot grant him bail.
The defence counsel, Chief Stanely Imo pleaded that the Magistrate should grant Irona bail based on self recognition, adding that Chief Irona was a former National Assembly member and also a former Deputy Governor.
He further argued that the charges should be thrown away because the documents carrying the charges were not properly signed.
According to him, the documents did not carry the seal of a lawyer, who signed it, therefore “the documents should not be accepted” he submitted.
He further explained that there was no proper evidence to justify that the former Deputy Governor actually did what he was accused of. He then insisted that the document should not be relied upon at all.
However, the Magistrate ruled that the matter should stand. The issue of signing and not having the seal of the lawyer who signed the document were disregarded at this point. Irona at the end was taken to Correctional Centre Owerri, as directed by the court.
PDP Legal adviser in Imo State, Barr Kessinger .Ikoku in a press interview shortly after the court case, told journalists that the case must surely proceed to the High Court where Irona will get bail.
He narrated that the former Deputy Governor (Chief Irona) was arrested because of alleged unlawful seizure of vehicles which after explaining his own side, was granted bail but surprisingly when he was about to go, police came up with another accusation of treason and felony. The Lawyer accused the government of Imo State of using the police against the people. The PDP Legal Adviser advised police to always do the right thing.
The charges Read:
1. Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri Magistrate district, conspired with others now at large, to commit felony to wit: treason and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37(2) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.
2. Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri Magistrate district, did make several utterances to the effect that he will make Imo state ungovernable and immediately afterwards hoodlums levied several attacks on Imo State with intent to intimidate or overawe the governor of the State and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37 of the criminal code, cap, c 38, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.
3. Hon Gerald Irona on the 15th day of January, 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, converted to his own use two land cruiser jeeps ( V8 and v6) and one Toyota Hilux vehicle valued four hundred and Ninety three million naira, property of Imo State Government, thereby committed an offence punishable under section 390 ( 9) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo State.
