By Charles Igbo
A near-tragedy was averted Monday morning in Owerri when Darlington Ibekwe, an Aide to a former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha’s slumped in Court.
Ibekwe was among 14 of the former Governor’s aides/supporters who were arraigned at an Owerri Magistrate’s Court on a six- count charge by the Police.
Trouble started on Sunday when Okorocha led scores of people, including son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, who was his former Chief of Staff and Governorship candidate under the Action Alliance, AA, to forcefully unseal an Estate, Royal Palm Estate, Akachi road Owerri which was sealed by the Government.
The multi-billion Naira Estate, owned by Okorocha’s wife, Nkechi, was seized, and taken over by the Imo State Government, based on the recommendation of a Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Lands and Other Matters, set up by former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, and inherited by incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma on assumption of office.
The IMSG accepted the Whitepaper on the report, had it gazetted and, subsequently, began its implementation.
Not only was the land on which the estate was built illegally and forcefully acquired, the Panel said, it was funded with money from the treasury of Imo State Government.
A viral video showed Okorocha ordering those who were at the estate with him to unseal and break the keys to the gate. They did so, and overwhelmed the security personnel kept by the gate to enforce the sealing order They, then, drove in.
The situation went out of hand when a reinforcement made up of Police and Government officials arrived. After some heated arguments, Okorocha and a number of others were arrested and taken to the State CID of the Imo Police Command. He was taken into custody, after making his statement.
Monday morning, 14 of his aides/ supporters were arraigned before Magistrate B.U.Adikaibe. It was while the case was on-going that Ibekwe slumped.
Some of those arraigned with him were Okorocha’s ADC while he was in office, Eberendu Chimechefulem, now a retired police officer, his Legislative Aide Steve Asinuobi and 11 others.
Altogether 14 of them were arrested and arraigned on a six-count charge, which included illegal entry, breach of peace, illegal possession of arms, wilful destruction of Government property and conspiracy.
Each of them was granted bail to the tune of five million Naira, only, with a surety who must be a recognised Traditional Ruler.
Nwosu escaped arrest on Sunday. But it is not known why Okorocha was not arraigned along with them.
However, this magazine gathered that he was granted bail, late last night, by the Police, allegedly on health grounds.
In addition, the South-east Governors’ Forum and a number of people were said to have intervened, and are still intervening on his behalf.
Counsel to the defendants is Eddy Onyema, while the State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, S.E. Ibechem, is prosecuting.
