By Chuks Eke
A senior Magistrate Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra state, presided over by His Worship, Ukamaka Okoye has issued a bench warrant of arrest against the incumbent Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government council, Emeka Orji.
The warrant followed the failure of Orji or his counsel to appear before the court on Tuesday, April 21, this year when the matter was mentioned to defend himself against a 13-count charge bordering on wilful damages and stealing preferred against him by the Anambra state police command.
In the bench warrant, Senior Magistrate Okoye noted that since Orji has been served with court summons but he or his counsel failed to appear before the court, she is therefore ordering all the police officers to arrest and bring him to court on or before June 9, 2026 being the next adjourned date.
According to the warrant, since a complaint has been made against Orji and such a complaint is true, all the police officers are therefore hereby commanded to arrest and bring the defendant before the court forthwith to answer to the complaint and be further dealt with in accordance with the law.
The police had in the 13-count charge with Charge No. MO/90c/2026. Commissioner of Police versus Emeka Orji, male, aged 65,: alleged that the accused person and others now at large sometime in the month of February, 2025 at Onitsha within Onitsha Magisterial Disctrict did conspire to commit felony to wit: Stealing and Malicious damage.
In the Charge prepared and filed by a police officer, Chief C. D. Nwosu Esq from the State Criminal Investigations Department, CID, Awka, the prosecution also alleged that the accused person and others now at large had on the same date and place did wilfully and maliciously damage a Shopping Mall Plaza valued at N456 million, property of one Chief Uchenna Uzoeto Sabest, adding that he equally conspired with others at large to commit felony to wit: Stealing.
The police prosecution further alleged that he and others at large conspired to steal 1,000 pieces of 16mm iron rods valued at N14.9 million, 3,000 pieces of 12mm iron rods valued at N27.6 million, 42 pieces of H-beam valued at N10.5 million, unlawfully assaulted one Chief Uzoeto Sabest Uchenna, wilfully placed one Chief Uzoeto Sabest Uchenna in fear of physical injury by pointing pistol a gun at him.
The prosecution further alleged that he and others at large caused mischief, destruction and damage to Shopping Mall Plaza belonging to Chief Uzoeto Sabest Uchenna, stole spare parts valued at N1.3 million, property of one Emeka Ogbunuzor, stole water melon and other valuables worth N1.7 million, property of one Raymond Nwabueze, stole one truck of banana worth N3.5 million, property of one Ebele Obiagu, female and unlawfully pulled down building plaza (Shopping Mall), property of Uchenna Uzoeto Sabest.
The offenses, the prosecution listed, are punishable under Sections 595(a), 415(1), 353(12), and 252 of the Criminal Code, Cap 35, Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, 6(1), 13(1) of the Violence Against Person (Prohibition and Protection) Law of Anambra State, 2017, as well as 7 of the Prohibition Fraudulent Practices on Land and Property Law, 2012.
