Court slams N5m fine on Imo ex-Governor, Okorocha, 13 others

A former Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, alongside 13 others, have been granted bail by the Magistrate Court sitting in Owerri on Monday.

The Court presided over by the Chief Magistrate Court 4, D. U Adikaibe, Owerri in Imo state, slammed a Five Million Naira (N5m) fine on each of the accused persons including a former Commissioner for Transport, Lasbery Okafor Anyanwu and a former local government chairman of Orlu LGA, Ijeoma Igboanusi.

Other conditions as announced by the Chief Magistrate was that each of the accused persons would provide a prominent traditional ruler to stand as their surety.

Prof. Nnamdi Obiareri, a former Commissioner for Information under Rochas Okorocha, in an interview, said that bail, by the constitution, was everybody’s right pending the determination of the offence.

The Chief Magistrate said he had studied the lightness of the case and granted them bail without further delay.

It would be recalled that the former Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on Sunday broke into the spring palm apartments and hotels said to be owned by his wife, Nkechi Okorocha, alongside his ”foot soldiers.”

The Senator was reportedly arrested and detained by the state police command after clashing with some government functionaries.

Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to 18th of March, 2021.