Inciting Comment: Rivers State Rep Remanded In Prison
A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has remanded the lawmaker representing Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Ephraim Nwuzi, to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in the Rivers State.
This happened after the Rivers State Police Command filed a detention action against him.
The police had charged the federal lawmaker, who is also the APC nominee for the Etche-Omuma Federal Constituency, with treasonable felonies, conspiracy, motion of communal crisis, and inciting violence.
Following the nature of the case, Emenike Ebete, the accused’s attorney, requested bail orally when the issue was brought up in court on Wednesday.
However, the prosecutor and the investigating police officers in command of the case opposed the bail application and asked that Nwuzi be remanded to allow for a thorough investigation and arraignment.
After hearing the reasons, Chief Magistrate O Amadi-Nna remanded Nwuzi based on the accusations.
Outside of court, Ebete told reporters that the charges brought against his client were insufficient to warrant a remand.
Ebete said, “We have also submitted to the court that the offences disclosed in the particulars and affidavit attached to the alleged allegations were not sufficient enough for him to be remanded.
“The court in its wisdom held that the offences are gracious and that he should be remanded in prison custody until the 3rd of March 2023, pending when a charge will be preferred against him by the state.”
Nwuzi was arrested on Wednesday morning at his residence in Chokocho, Etche LGA by policemen who allegedly broke into his apartment.
The spokesperson of the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement said the Supervising Assistant Inspector General of Police for the elections in Rivers State, Abutu Yaro, had invited Nwuzi over an inciting video where he allegedly directed his supporters to attack some persons, including officials of INEC during the elections.
