Rivers Court issues bench warrant for arrest of Former PDP Governorship aspirant

For allegedly stealing oil drilling pipes and a heavy duty equipment worth about N800 million, a Port Harcourt Magistrate Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Walter Ubaka Okeke.

Issuing the bench warrant in a preliminary ruling in Suit No. PMC/884c/2022 on Monday, October 31, 2022 in Port Harcourt, Chief Magistrate Amadi Nnah, ordered for the arrest of Okeke, who hails from Enugu Village of Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area, Anambra State.

Africa Update gathered that Okeke had reportedly stored the oil drilling pipes and other heavy industrial equipment at his residence in Trans Amadi Industrial Area of Rivers State. According to the charge sheet which was filed on May 27, 2022, Okeke and others at large, are faced with criminal charge.

The charge sheet read “You, Walter Ubaka Okeke, and others now at large, did conspire to commit felony to wit: stealing; and therefore committed an offence punishable under Section 516A of the Criminal Code Law Cap 37 Vol 2, Laws of Rivers State.

The second count placed the value of the alleged stolen property to be over N800m, items said to be property of a Port Harcourt business man, Ifeanyi Amaonye, and kept in the open at the accused’s compound in the Trans Amadi Industrial Area of Port Harcourt.”

When the case came up on Monday, October 31, at Chief Magistrate Court 10, counsel to the accused, Oluchuchu Ulasi raised a preliminary objection, noting that they had just submitted an application to the court.

Ulasi disclosed that the defendant (Okeke), who owns the said property at Trans Amadi Industrial Area, had secured a ruling preventing the police from harassing him. But the prosecution counsel, Godday Amadi, who represented the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), said the suit before the Chief Magistrate Court was simply a criminal case and the case was stood down earlier in the year to allow the case on the enforcement of his fundamental human rights at the Rivers State High Court to run to the end.

He stressed that the said case at the High Court had ended with a judgment that was not in favour of the accused (Okeke). Reiterating that the accused did not appeal the Judgement, and there was no evidence of an appeal before the Chief Magistrate.

After a heated argument between both counsels, the Chief Magistrate ruled, ordering the arrest of accused and his arraignment before the Court on Thursday, December 8, 2022.