A university lecturer, identified as Prof. Uchenna Ezemagu, was on Thursday, arraigned at the Enugu North Magistrate Court for criminal conspiracy, malicious damage and threat to life.
Ezemagu was arraigned by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for spreading false information against the traditional ruler of Ihekwuenu Autonomous community in Aku, Igwe Christopher Okwor.
Recall that Okwor was in 2024 accused of kidnapping and deliberately demolishing a blind man’s house, allegations that he had vehemently denied.
Speaking to journalists after the arraignment, counsel to the traditional ruler, Barr. Jerry Chigozie Iheanacho, said the traditional ruler has been vindicated by the outcome of the police investigation.
Iheanacho disclosed that the Enugu state government suspended his client over allegations that he demolished a house being built for a blind man and he is a kidnapper, a gun-runner, and an armed robber.
”The police, in their wisdom, investigated the matter, and those who made the allegations are being arraigned in the court today for giving false information to the police.
“And that is a vindication of our client that he was never an armed robber, a gun-runner, or kidnapper, and he never demolished anybody’s house.
“We are happy and insist that justice must be served on those who have gone against the law by making false allegations against our client.
“We will take it up for the government to do what is needed since the outcome of the investigation has vindicated him,” the counsel said.
In an interview, the traditional ruler said his problem with Ezemagu family began after he won the traditional stool of Ihekwuenu Autonomous community, which the defendant vied with him.
Okwor disclosed that instead of accepting defeat like other contestants, the lecturer and his family members vowed to make the community ungovernable for him.
According to Okwor, Ezemagu family started causing trouble by planning to take over the landed property of belonging to Isife family, a plan he scuttled and even tried to reconcile the Ezemagu and Isife families.
He noted that the peace move angered the defendant, which made him arrange his friend working with the Anti-kidnapping unit of the Nigeria Police Force, who arrested him for kidnapping.
The traditional ruler thanked the IGP for declaring him innocent of the malicious allegation leveled against him Prof. Uchechukwu Ezemagu and his family.
