By Stanley Onyekwere
The Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Ibrahim Bukar may have commenced investigation into allegations of persecution against community members of Amaruru Automous Community in Imo state, by one Chief Nelson Okpara through the instruments judiciary and the police. The three members of the community are currently facing trial at the Dutse Alhaji Magistrate Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Lamido M. Kabir. The three men are charged with conspiracy and giving false information to the police before the Chief Magistrate Court at Life Camp, Abuja, before his transfer to Dutse Alhaji Magistrate Court.
Edwin Obi-Obiezuo, Damian Okpara and Ambrose Ogbuji were in September 2009 arraigned in the court by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) following a complaint by Chief Nelson Okpara.
The accused persons have in a petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Chief Judge of the FCT Judiciary, the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the Public Complaints Commission, decried their “prolonged trial” in Abuja which is outside the jurisdiction of Imo State where the alleged offences were committed thereby forcing them to travel long distances for hearings. The trial is five years old now.
They also pleaded with the authorities to transfer the case to any other court because they have “lost confidence in the ability of the Chief Magistrate to dispense justice in the case” especially the “very short notices” of hearings he sends to their lawyer despite their being living outside jurisdiction.
Inquiries at the FCT judiciary headquarters indicate that the chief judge has commenced investigation into the case, recalling the case file from the Chief Magistrate, apparently for investigation.
The accused persons, who were at one time members of the community’s executive and security affairs committee, claim they are suffering in the hands of the police and the judiciary since 2004.
The First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Police alleged that the accused persons in November 2008 petitioned the Deputy IGP and the IGP that Nelson Okpara threatened their lives, planted a gun in Obiezue’s house and burnt his house which was later discovered to be false.
The offences of conspiracy and false information are contrary to sections 97 and 140 of the Penal Code.
In the petition by their counsel B.U. Nwanegbo, the accused persons traced their ordeal to a dispute over the management of the security levy in Amaruru Autonomous Community of Orsu Local Government Area in Imo State which began in 2004.
However, in a new twist to the matter, the case file has found it’s way back to the Chief Magistrate Lamido M. Kabir, in whom they expressed total lack of confidence to dispense justice in the matter.
The accused further expressed serious concerns over whether their formal complaint was considered by the FCT Chief Judge and Chairman of the FCT Judicial Service Committee before returning it to the Chief Magistrate.
The Chief Magistrate is to continue hearing the matter, and has fixed hearing for the next fifteen days beginning Monday, December 1, 2014.
