Court Grants Rivers Youth Leader and 120 Pro-Fubara Protesters N100,000 Bail

Bail has been granted to the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Rivers State, Mr Chijioke Ihunwo, and 120 other defendants for allegedly invading the residence of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaehwule.

A Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt has granted N100,000 bail for each of them and 20 sureties to guarantee their release.

The court also granted bail to the State Legal Adviser of NYCN, Chigozie Emem, on self-recognition as a lawyer.

Recall that Ihunwo and 121 others were rounded off in Port Harcourt and detained in the facility of the State Criminal Investigation Department for attacking the residence of Amaehwule during their protest against the move to impeach the governor of the state, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, by some lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The defendants are standing trial on five count charges boarding on Count 1, Conspiracy, Count 2, Causing of Riot, Count 3, Damaging the House Gate of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Count 4, Unlawful Assembly and Count 5, causing breach of public peace.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the five charges preferred against them.

One of the prosecuting Lawyers, Eniyepere Sikpi, had earlier asked that the defendants provide a verifiable address as part of their bail conditions.

After the charges were read and pleas were taken, the Presiding Magistrate, Gift Amadi, said the defendants were granted bail on the ground that the offences were bailable.

They are to appear in court on the next adjourned date being, the 5th of December, for trial.