By Chinonso Alozie

Magistrate court sitting in Owerri, on Thursday ordered that the former deputy governor of Imo state, Gerald Irona, be remanded in the Owerri Correctional center.

This was after the presiding magistrate, C.N Ezerioha, listened to the argument and counterargument between both prosecution counsel and defense counsel.

While the defense Counsel to the ex-deputy governor, S. I Imo sought bail for the former deputy governor, based on self-recognition, and even went further to request that a state lawmaker, Frank Ugboma, was ready to take Irona on bail.

But the lead prosecution counsel, Sunday Ogbuji, opposed the bail condition and argued that the magistrate court lacked the jurisdiction to grant the accused bail and even entertain the matter.

It was the submission of the prosecution counsel, that the case against Irona, bothered on felony, and that only the judge of the high court could grant bail to Irona.

According to the three-count charge read: “That you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, did conspire with others now at large, to commit felony to wit: treason and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 37(2) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.

“That you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, did make several utterances to the effect that you will make Imo state ungovernable and immediately afterward hoodlums levied several attacks on Imo state with the intent to intimidate or overawe the governor of Imo state and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 37 of the criminal code, cap, c 38, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.

“That you Hon Gerald Irona on the 15th day of January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, do convert to your use two land cruiser jeeps ( V8 and v6) and one Toyota Hilux vehicle valued four hundred and Ninety-three million naira property of Imo state government thereby committed an offense punishable under section 390 ( 9) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.”