Court Strikes Out Treasonable Charges Against Popular Edo Civil Rights Activist, Kola Edokpayi
The Edo State High Court (Criminal Division) presided over by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba has struck out and discharged Mr. Kola Edokpayi, a civil activist of the 6-count Charges brought against him last year by the state.
The charges bordered on Conspiracy
to commit Treasonable Felony, Treasonable Felony, Promoting Native War,
membership of unlawful society, publishing defamatory matter with intent to
induce and Impersonation.
The court action is sequel to the
"Notice of Withdrawal" transmitted to the Honourable Court by the
State counsel dated the 12th day of July, 2018 with Charge number B/CD/166C/17.
The trial Judge who took judicial notice of the Application, struck out the case and also discharged him of the charges.
Edokpayi was arrested on 16th May 2017 by the Police and immediately arraigned before an Oredo Magistrate Court in Benin City, on two count charges that bordered on conspiracy to commit felony to wit; instigating invasion of Nigeria.
He was accused of committing a
punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code and instigating a group of
Intellectuals some of who are foreigners to invade the Nigerian Petroleum Development
Company, NPDC Head office in Benin City, the Edo stats Government House, the
state House of assembly and oil producing Communities.
He was said to have thereby
committed an offence punishable under Section 38 of the Criminal Code, though
the court declined jurisdiction to hear the case as it ordered that his remand
at Oko Prison.
The court had asked that the case
file be duplicated and sent to Department of Public Prosecution, DPP for legal
opinion before his bail application was granted by His Lordship Justice Acha of
Criminal Court 1 also in Benin City on the 20th day of June 2017.
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