Court Remands Iyatsere Of Warri Kingdom

Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City has remanded the Iyatsere of Warri, Chief Johnson Asteruleghe in police custody till June 27 when his application for bail would be heard.

Chief Asteruleghe was arraigned over alleged assault, malicious damage and other offences allegedly committed in Ologbo Dukedom, Ikpoba Okha local government Area of Edo state.

The Iyasere of Warri who is facing a seven count charge with charge No: B/Co/ 126/22 has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Police Prosecutor, Okunbor Orobosa Esq told the court that the defendant committed the offences on the 2nd day of February, 2022, at Ologbo in the Benin judicial Division.

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He added: “You did conspire amongst yourselves to carry on warlike undertaking malicious damage, punishable under section 517 of the Criminal code, cap.48.vol.11 .laws of the defunct Bendel state of Nigeria, 1976 as applicable in Edo state.”

He alleged that he also conspired to “commit warlike undertaking punishable under code cap 48, vol.11, Laws of the defunct Bendel state of Nigeria 1976 as applicable in Edo state.”

But the defendant’s Counsel, Eghedosa Imhandegbelo in his oral bail application urged the court to grant the defendant bail which was opposed by Orobosa arguing that the defendant is fond of fermenting trouble when granted bail as they happened in previous instances involving him.

He sited previous criminal cases of murder against the defendant in which he was granted bail before he went to commit this recent offence.

He also urged the court not to entertain oral bail application as it has not been applicable in cases before now and urged the defense counsel to put the application for bail in motion so that they can equally respond.

The presiding judge, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba adjourned the case to 27th of June 2022 for hearing of application for bail.