By Francis Sadhere
A middle aged suspect identified as Smart Etiemor yesterday collapsed at a Warri South Chief magistrate court in Delta on hearing that he should be remanded at the Okere Prison, Warri.
Etiemor who was arraigned alongside, Robinson Dagbolo before chief magistrate C I Moeteke were ordered to be remanded at the Okere prison while awaiting legal advise from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP).
According to our correspondent The duo were docked for allegedly petitioning the founder of New Salvation Church of Christ, Bishop Sunny Jero which later turned out to be false.
The duo accused Jero of sponsoring the Niger Delta Avengers, human trafficking, gun running and other criminal activities.
The middle-aged suspects were arraigned on a one-count charge of false accusation, an offence punishable under Section 125 of the Criminal Code Cap c21 of Delta.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge but the magistrate failed to accept their plea saying that the court lack the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Moeteke, however, adjourned the case till Aug. 18 for mention
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, ASP Sunny Irabor told the court that the suspects allegedly petitioned the complainant on July 14, 2016 over human trafficking, gun running and sponsoring the Niger Delta Avengers.
He said that after obtaining a search warrant, the police combed the church and private residence of the Bishop in Warri alongside the suspects adding that nothing incriminating was found.
According to him, the complainant (Jero ) had to rearrest the suspects for false accusation
At the rising of the court, Jero told newsmen outside the court premises that he and the suspects hailed from Ogbinbri community in Egbema clan in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta.
”They wrote a petition against me and police come to search my church and house in the present of the suspects and nothing incriminating was found, then I was granted bail.
”I have to write a petition against them through my lawyer for arresting me illegally, that is why they were arraigned today.
”I am innocent, I have nothing to do with the avengers,” he said.
