The Police in Enugu State have arraigned and remanded in prison custody four traders of Ogbete Main Market that protested against the sealing of their shops by Governor Peter Mbah-led administration for not coming to market on Monday.
The police secretly arraigned the traders namely: Ezebinagu Kaste, 45; Eze Patrick 53; Friday Ani, 47; and Ogbu Nkem, 37, on Wednesday on a three-count charge bordering on promoting local war, among others.
The traders were arraigned before an Enugu North Magisterial District Court in a charge marked No: MEN/2212023, between the traders and the Commissioner of Police, which our correspondent obtained on Friday.
The PUNCH reported on Wednesday, July 27, 2023, that security agencies the state government deployed to Ogbete Main Market killed three traders and injured several others during a protest against the sealing of their shops by the government for not coming to market on Monday.
The three-count charge reads: “Count I: That you Ezebinagu Kasie ‘m’, Eze Patrick ‘m’, Friday Ani A.K.A “Ozuome” ‘m’, Ogbu Jude Nkem ‘m’ and others now at large on the 26th day of July 2023 at about 0900hrs at Ogbete Main Market, Enugu in the Enugu North Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; Promoting Local War and Riotous Assembly and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 495(a) of Criminal Code, Cap. 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.
“Count II: That you Ezebinagu Kasie ‘m’, Eze Patrick ‘m’, Friday Ani A.K.A “Ozuome” ‘m’, Ogbu Jude Nkem ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, time, place and aforementioned Magisterial District did riotously assembled yourselves and destroyed the building/office of the Ogbete Main Market Traders’ Association (OMMATA) and thereby committed an offence punishable Section 112 of Criminal Code, Cap. 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.
“Count III: That you Ezebinagu Kasie ‘m’, Eze Patrick “M”, Friday Ani A.K.A “Ozuome” ‘m’, Ogbu Jude Nkem ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, time, place and aforementioned Magisterial District did without lawful authority carries on war or warlike against the Chairman of the Ogbete Main Market Traders, Association and Enugu State Government and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 86 of Criminal Code, Cap. 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.”
The Magistrate Court where they were arraigned, ordered that the traders be remanded at Enugu Maximum Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till further notice, claiming it lack jurisdiction to entertain the case.
