Surrender To Police Or – Court Gives Fubara’s CoS, Ehie Fresh Order After He Lost In Court
Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the bid to dismiss terrorism charges against five supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
The request for dismissal came from Hon Edison Ehie, the current Chief of Staff to the governor, who had been the factional Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly.
On Friday, the judge declined to terminate the charges, stating that Ehie lacked the legal authority to make such a request. Olajuwon upheld the arguments presented by the counsel to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Simon Lough, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. The judge ruled that Ehie could not file for dismissal until he appeared in court to answer the terrorism charges.
Ehie, through his lawyer Oluwole Aladedoye SAN, had sought to have the charges dropped on various grounds. He argued that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked jurisdiction to hear the case since the alleged offenses occurred in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Additionally, he claimed he had not been indicted by the police for any offense.
The police lawyer opposed the request, citing Section 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ACJA 2015 and emphasized that Ehie had not yet appeared before the court to take his plea.
In a brief ruling, Justice Olajuwon dismissed Ehie’s request and sided with the arguments put forth by the IGP’s counsel. The judge highlighted that the charge sheet indicated Ehie is at large and not yet listed on the charges as required by law. Justice Olajuwon advised the Chief of Staff to either surrender to the police or appear in court to take a plea before being eligible to make any application.
The five defendants listed on the charge sheet are Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod. The 7-count charges accuse them of terrorism offenses related to the invasion, vandalism, and burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly during the political crisis in Port Harcourt in October of the previous year.
