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Court remands man for arson in Ebonyi

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A 25-year-old man, one Iziogo Uchenna, was on Wednesday, remanded in the prison custody for allegedly setting ablaze the house of a fellow villager, in the state.

The accused person, Uchenna, was alleged to have set on fire, the house of one John Where, a fellow villager, at Okpoduma village, Agbaja community, in the Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

He said he was moved to set the complainant’s house on fire because he met him having sexual intercourse with his mother.

It was said that the suspect, had on several occasions warned the complainant to desist from having a sexual affair with the mother, but all to no avail.

It was alleged that the suspect committed the offence at Okpoduma village, Agbaja community, in the Izzi council of the state, on February 28, 2020.

He was arraigned before the Magistrate’s Court on one count of arson, on Wednesday.

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The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Mbam, told the court that the offence was punishable under section 443 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.

In his confessional statement, the accused person (Uchenna) said;

“Mr Ejere, is a wicked man. He has three wives, but can not leave my mother alone. I did it and I don’t regret that I burnt his house.

I met him several sleeping with my mother and I have warned him to stop doing such, but he wouldn’t listen. So, on this very day, I have to set his house on fire.”

The charge read, “That you Iziogo Uchenna ‘m’, on the 28th day of February, 2020, at Okpoduma village, Agbaja Izzi LGA, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District did willfully and unlawfully set the dwelling house of one John Ejere ‘m’ ablaze and thereby commmitted an offence punishable under section 443 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”

The accused person was not represented in court by a Defense Counsel, as no bail application was made on his behalf.

However, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. B.I. Chukwu, maintained that the court lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.

She ordered that the accused person be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, while his case file should be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions, for necessary legal advice.

Mrs Chukwu adjourned the case till March 30, 2020, for report of compliance.

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