Court bars police from arresting Ihedioha, others over arson, murder, kidnapping allegations
Days after announcing stepping down his from contesting the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a forthcoming primary election, chieftain of the party, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has secured a court injunction barring the policing to effecting his arrest in a kidnapping, murder and arson charge.
The court injunction obtained by Ihedioha, who is rumoured to be plotting to defect to the Labour Part (LP) in order to actualize his political ambition of governing Imo State, bars the police from arresting him, alongside House of Reps member-elect, Ideato Federal Constituency, Ikenga Ugochinyere, and a former Deputy Governor of the state, Gerald Irona.
A High Court sitting in Abuja presided over by Justice A.S. Adepoju had set aside the police invitation letter dated March 13, 2023 sent to Ugochinyere, Ihedioha and Irona in a ruling delivered Tuesday.
The court ordered the Nigerian police not to arrest Ugochinyere, Ihedioha and Irona., in addition to stopping the police from inviting the three persons for interrogation.
Ruling in the suit between Ugochinyere and seven respondents including the governor of Imo State, State Security Services, Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Imo State, Ebubeagu Security Network and the Deputy Inspector General in charge of Federal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, the court stated: “It is hereby ordered that the letter dated March 13, 2023, titled“INVESTIGATION ACTIVITIES- RE: CASE OF MURDER(SIC), KIDNAPPING AND ARSON” be set aside pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
The court further held that “the respondents are restrained whether by themselves, agents, officers, staff, privies or howsoever described from giving any effect, carrying out, proceeding with, arresting, further inviting or taking any other steps in furtherance of or in connection with the said letter of invitation dated March 13, 2023, as it affects the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
Earlier, in a letter addressed to the Imo State chairman of PDP, Charles Ugwu, the Police invited the applicant and others in connection with what it called ‘the investigation into a case of murder, kidnapping and arson.’
By the ruling of the court, the Imo state police command which has been accused by the member elect for its alleged complicity in the multiple attacks on his person and his home and for failing to conduct any form of investigation has been stopped in this fresh move to arrest Ugochinyere.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to April 4, 2023 for a hearing.
