By Ameh Ejekwonyilo
Eventually, the federal government yesterday arraigned the Delta state kidnap kingpin, Mr. Kelvin Oniarah Ezeiegbe and two others before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Mr. Kelvin Ezeiegbe was arraigned alongside Messrs Frank Azuekor and Michael Omonigho on a thirteen count charge bothering on terrorism and kidnapping.
After the Chief State Counsel, Mrs. Chioma Onuegbu, asked the court to read the charge sheet to the accused persons for plea yesterday, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Subsequently, the prosecution counsel, Mrs. Chioma Onuegbu said: “Based on the plea of not guilty, we hereby make an order that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody pending a date for hearing.”
The court however refused the oral application for bail made by the defence lawyer, Mr. Bala I. Dakum.
The trial judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi said the application was not in line with the Criminal Procedure Rule of the court.
Mr. Dakum drew the court’s attention to the difficulties he was faced with in trying to have access to his clients who were in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS).
After listening to counsel’s submissions, Justice Ademola ordered: “The accused persons should have access to their counsel from Festus Keyamo Chambers and Co, and that each of the accused persons should have access to a member of their family.”
“Counsel should file and serve the necessary court papers and the accused persons shall be remanded in SSS custody and be reproduced in court at the next adjourned date.”
The case was adjourned to July 1, 2014, for hearing.
Messrs Ezeiegbe and Azuekor are being prosecuted for conspiracy to commit terrorist act, kidnapping of persons, inciting persons to commit act terrorism recruitment and abetting escape, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 17 of Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 as amended amongst other counts.
They were also arraigned on count 9 for allegedly kidnapping Chief Mike Ozekhome on August 23, 2013, in Delta state, and killing of several security operatives who were on duty.
Omonigho is being prosecuted on a two-count charge of providing support for the commission of terrorists’ acts as well as failure to disclose terrorism information to law enforcement agencies; an offence punishable under Section 8 (1) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011, as amended.