Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City on Tuesday remanded the Iyatsere of Warri, Chief Johnson Asteruleghe in police custody till June 27
The judge said Asteruleghe would be in detention till when his application for bail would heard over alleged assault, malicious damage and other offences allegedly committed in Ologbo Dukedom, Ikpoba Okha local government Area of Edo state.
The Edo Police Command arraigned the Iyatsere of Warri on a seven count charge with charge No: B/Co/ 126/22, but he 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.
The charge reads: “that 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.”
According to the prosecutor, defendant 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.”
Counsel to the defendant, Eghedosa Imhandegbelo in his oral bail application, asked the court to grant the defendant bail. But the prosecutor opposed the bail application arguing that the defendant was notorious for fermenting trouble when bail is granted to him adding that he had in the past involved in such matters.
According to him, the defendant previous criminal cases of murder against the him in which he was granted bail before he went to commit this recent offence.
The prosecutor 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.
After hearing both arguments, Justice Ikponmwonba adjourned the case till June 27, 2022, for hearing of application for bail.
