The Igwe-elect of Ogugu community in Awgu local government, Chief Emmanuel Ogbonna was on Wednesday arraigned at the Enugu South Magistrate Court for perjury.
The police in a two-count charge brought against him by an assistant superintendent, Austin Aguodoh, said Chief Ogbonna had lied on oath by claiming to be an Engineer when he possessed no qualifying certificate to that effect.
The Charge No; MES/258C/2020, Commissioner of Police versus Chief Engr. Emmanuel Muodebel Ogbonna reads, “That you Chief Engr. Emmanuel Muodebel Ogbonna ‘m’ sometime in 2011 at Enugu State High Court, Awgu Division, within the jurisdiction did make an oath in Suit No. HAW/01/2011, Chief Engr. Emmanuel Muodebel Ogbonna and Jonas Uchenwa and six others that you are an Engineer when you knew you never obtained any professional qualifying certificate and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 145 and punishable under Section 146 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu state of Nigeria 2004.
“That you Chief Engr. Emmanuel Muodebel Ogbonna ‘m’ within same time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did with intent to defraud falsely represent yourself as a professional Engineer when you knew you were not and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 460 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu state of Nigeria, 2004.”
After the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, his counsel, Mr Nwabueze Ugwu applied for his bail on very liberal terms, saying, “The accused is an Octogenarian and Igwe-elect of his community. It is that status that is in contention, the accused is a community leader; he is always in his palace in the village and can never absent himself from court. We make an application that he be granted bail on self-recognition.”
The Prosecutor said he would not oppose bail for the accused but with a proviso that such would come with reasonable surety that must have a verifiable address.
The court had granted bail to the accused with the sum of N300, 000 and adjourned the matter to September 14 for definite hearing.