The Ebonyi State Police Command has arraigned a 40-year-old-man, Uche Awegbe, before an Abakaliki Magistrate’s Court for allegedly threatening to kill the State governor, David Umahi.
Mr. Awegbe was accused by the Police for shooting two residents of the State dead and causing communal crises on some occasions.
The suspect was also accused by the Police of sending death threat massages to Governor Umahi via the telephone.
The suspect, who was arraigned in a case marked MAB/634c/202, was accused of being in possession of guns and machetes.
Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Obi Eberechukwu, accused the defendant of threatening the life of the governor on August 19, 2022 at number 9, Umuoji Street, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State cspital by sending death threats via text messages to Umahi.
He was also accused of unlawfully posseseing guns and machetes including promoting inter-communal war in Effuim community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state in 2021, which allegedly led to the death of some residents.
The charge reads: “You, Uche Awegbe, on the 19th day of August 2022 at Number 9, Umuoji Street, Abakaliki, did threaten the life of Engr. David Umahi, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State by sending death threat message to him through your MTN phone number 09039946XXX thereby committed offence punishable under Section 12(1)(b) of Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Related Matters Law, Cap 55, Volume 2 Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“You, Uche Awegbe, and others in charge numbers MAB/69c/2021,MAB/838c/ 2021 and MAB/891c/2021 on the 5th day of November 2021 at Effuim community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did go armed with guns and machetes in public without lawful occasion in such a manner as to cause terror and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 80 of the Criminal Code, Cap 33, Volume 1 Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
The defendant’s plea was not taken due to the capital nature of the offences allegedly committed by him.
The Presiding Magistrate, Linda Ogbodo, ordered that Mr. Awegbe be remanded at the Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till October 10, 2022.
She directed the prosecutor to transfer the original case file, evidences and all documents in the matter to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state for legal advice.
