A 13-year-old boy, Precious
Efurueze, who is accused of
allegedly attempting to kill
former president Olusegun
Obasanjo and the governor
of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, in
Owerri on 31, March, by
stoning their campaign
convoy with sachets of pure
water; was on Wednesday
denied bail by a chief
magistrate court in Owerri.
Master Efurueze is among 18
people charged with
attempted murder for
participation in the attack on
Messrs. Obasanjo and Ohakim.
Notableamong the accused
is Prince Madumere, the chief
ofstaff to the gubernatorial
candidate of the All
Progressive Grand Alliance
(APGA), Rochas Okorocha.
At the resumed hearing of
the suit yesterday the
presiding magistrate, V.C
Isiguzo, while delivering
ruling on the application for
bail for the accused,
explained that her court has
no jurisdiction on two of the
charges because they are
punishable by life
imprisonment. Mrs. Isiguzo,
however, turned down the
accused's request to be
granted bail until the
conclusion of the substantive
suit.
The chief magistrate
explained that her reason for
denying the accused bail is
that they had been charged
with felony which carries a
punishment of life
imprisonment if found guilty.
She said the offence is a
serious one and, therefore,
should not be treated lightly.
Speaking to newsmen at the
end of the court session, Greg
Okemiri,the counsel
representing the 12th to the
16th accused persons, while
expressing his displeasure
with the ruling of the
magistrate, hinted that the
reason the application was
denied may be political. He
was also angered by the
continued detention of
Master Efurueze who, he
explained, under the law of
the country, by virtue of
being a minor, is considered
incapable of committing a
crime.
"The law describes him as
not capable of committing
crime yet," he said. "All these
things are in our law.
Sometimes I feel very sad
that we do not want to do
things right. You see
someone who the law
describes as not capable of
committing a crime yet, and
you remand him in an adult
prison." Mr. Okemiri,
however, stated that he has
taken steps to see that the
boy is released soon. The
case was adjourned to May
30, for further hearing.
Another Low for d PDP led administration nd d judiciary.