
May 11, 2015
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- Law News
An Orsu Chief Magistrate court, presided over by Mr. G. C. Okoli, has issued a warrant of arrest on the former Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Eze Festus Odimegwu, for allegedly refusing to appear before the court to answer charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing levelled against him.
Apart from Eze Odimegwu, who was absent when the matter was called up, the other persons named in the suit, MOS/35C/2014, were Moses Okafor, Ichie Peter Chukwumero Obidike, Innocent Edom and Orji Boniface.
Before issuing the warrant of arrest, the presiding Chief Magistrate expressed dissatisfaction over the refusal of Odumegwu to appear in court to answer the charges.
The Chief Magistrate said: “It is, hereby, ordered that a warrant of arrest be issued and is, hereby, issued for the arrest of Eze Festus Odimegwu for him to aid the police in their further investigation of this case.
‘’It is also ordered that the office of the Inspector General of Police shall aid the men of Imo State Police Command to carry out his arrest.”
Addressing the court earlier, counsel to the accused person, Mr. Vitalis Ekwem, told the court that the order for Odimegwu to appear before it should have been served personally and not by substituted means.
Ekwem also accused the police of “not being co-operative,” adding that the office of the State Attorney General requested for the case file to make a legal opinion on the matter but the police frustrated and has continued to sit on the case file.
Responding, the prosecutor R.O. Ayogu Eze, denied seeing any such letter and asked the court to give him (Ayogu) a short date to enable the police conduct a complete investigation on the matter.
He also prayed the court to issue a warrant of arrest on Eze Festus Odimegwu, who he said was at large, stressing that Eze Odimegwu was one of the accused persons, but had constantly refused to obey the order of the court to appear for the case.
The charge read: “That you, Moses Okafor, Ichie Peter Chukwumero Obidike, Innocent Edom, Orji Boniface and Eze Festus Odimegwu now at large, on the 24th day of April, 2013, at Orie Amachi Orsu, in Orsu Magisterial District, did conspire to steal the following items: 15 Ton Roller valued at N10million, Reversing Drum Concrete Mixer N5million, Mercedes Benz Tipper Lorry valued at N3.5million, Cat 966 Pay Loader 5 valued at N60million, O&K Motor Grader N50million, 1.5 Ton Roller N1million, Copco Compressor valued N1.5million, and Tilting Drum Concrete Mixer to the tune of N1.5million.”
Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to May 22, 2015, for continuation of hearing in the matter.
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