There was a mild drama in Ihiala High Court, sitting in Nnewi, Anambra State, and presided over by Justice C.N. Mbonu-Nwenyi, when the judge rejected an oral application for bail brought before it by Ikenna Obidiegwu Esq, counsel to Chukwudi Odimegwu, the first accused person, currently standing trial in connection with the abduction of the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, Chief Obiorah Agbasimalo, whose whereabouts till date remains unknown.
The court instead directed the defence counsel to prepare a written application for bail and file same at Ihiala High Court for adjudication.
The development followed an oral application brought by Obidiegwu, shortly after the fourth prosecution witness, Chikezie Mbadugha, testified against Odimegwu, the first accused person in the kidnap saga.
Hearing on the case with suit number: HIH/15C/22 between the State and Chukwudi Jude Odimegwu and Maxwell Chukwudi Nwokolo, had continued on Tuesday.
In the charge, the duo and others still at large, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnap of Agbasimalo and the defendants have been remanded in prison custody.
Recall that the LP governorship candidate, Agbasimalo, was kidnapped on September 18, 2021 at Lilu community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, while going to attend an LP campaign rally and has not been found till date.
When the case was called, PW4, Chikezie Mbadugha, a farmer and a native of Umudim-Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government Area, mounted the witness box and gave detailed account of what he knew about the matter.
He said, “The first defendant told us that High Chief Godwin Agbasimalo (Oga ndi Oga) had selected the people that would go to the campaign rally, which never happened before, but the first defendant, never mentioned the names of the people that will go either.”
After testifying before the court, Mbadugha was not cross-examined by the defence counsel.
But the counsel to the first defendant said that diligence is required in the matter, noting that developments during the hearing so far are suggestive of a “game plan to keep the defendants perpetually in detention.”
His utterances, however, did not go down well with the prosecution counsel, who countered him immediately and stated that she still has credible witnesses who will give their testimony over the matter as the hearing continues.
The drama and hot arguments started when the prosecution counsel objected to the bail application on the grounds that several prosecution witnesses are still lined up to testify against the accused persons with “concrete facts and evidences.”
The counsel to the second defendant, Maxwell Chukwudi Nwokolo, also pleaded that his client should be granted bail, but Justice Mbonu-Nwenyi, however told him to go to Ihiala court, which is the right place to file the motion.
It was front and back banters from the legal practitioners as the matter was adjourned to April 26, 2024.
After testifying before the court, Mbadugha, who was not cross-examined was discharged from the witness box by Justice Mbonu-Nwenyi and the judge adjourned the matter to Friday, April 26 for PW5 to testify.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the adjournment, a relative of the kidnapped victim, who pleaded anonymity, observed that the accused persons were being given VIP treatments on the ground that they usually come to court dressed gorgeously, without wearing prison regalia, adding that they also come to court in a luxury vehicle instead of Black Maria.
