The Magistrates’ Court in Ebonyi on Tuesday, ordered the remand of Linus Okorie, the Labour Party Senatorial Candidate and ex-lawmaker in Ebonyi State, at the Nigeria Correctional Centre in Abakaliki, for alleged conspiracy and murder.

The Magistrate, Linda Ogodo, ordered the remand over lack of jurisdiction.

The accused was charged on April 5, 2022, for conspiring among others to commit a felony to murder, promoting inter-communal war and thereby committing an offence punishable under section 516A of Criminal Code Law, Cap 33 volume 1 Law of Ebonyi 2009.

The charge No. MAB/574/2022 against Okorie and others at large, on offences said to have been committed on the same date and place in the aforesaid Magistrate district, according to it, unlawfully caused the death of one Mr. Donatus Okoro.

The offence is punishable under section 319 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 33 vol. 1 laws of Ebonyi State (2009).

Meanwhile, Barr. Chikodili Nome, the lead counsel to Okorie, alleged that the intendment of the charges against his client was to keep him behind bars, weaken him and his supporters so as to make him lose election.

Nome also alleged that the state government was resorting to self-help, rather than facing the rigours of the election.

He stated that some charges on the magistrate’s jurisdiction was to entertain and grant bail.

“We have seen details of the charges. What happened here today is abuse to judicial proceedings.

“Anyone who is not comfortable with the judgement should go to court of Appeal and not to resort to self-help,” Nome said.

The court ordered the remand of the defendants at the correctional centre, pending issuance of legal advice and adjourned the matter for November 4, 2022.