Olusegun Ariyo
The presiding Pastor of the Tree of Life Bible Church, Irete, Owerri West LGA, Ebere Emmanuel Amadi, has been arraigned in court after many weeks of hiding from the police.
He was arrested by the Ogbaku Police Station, following a report levelled against him by his mother, Mrs. Nelly Chidinma Amadi for assault, molestation and threat to her life, over family property.
Urban Express News Online gathered that pastor Amadi had earlier jumped administrative bail from the Scorpion Squad Office a few weeks ago, which warranted the police to launch for his re-arrest.
Following his apprehension, the State Police Command instituted a court action against him for allegedly molesting and threatening the life of Mrs. Nelly Amadi who was said to be his mother.
In the suit, MID/31C/ 2024, between Commissioner of Police Vs. Ebere Emmanuel Amadi, 47, the charges read, “That you Ebere Emmanuel Amadi “M” On or before September 6, 2024, at Irete Owerri, Imo State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did steal property documents belonging to one Nelly Amadi and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 390 (9) of the criminal code Cap
“C38” of the laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State.
“COUNT II: That you Ebere Emmanuel Amadi “M” on about the same date and place did with intent maliciously damage the medicated eye glass worth Sixty Thousand Naira (N60,000) property of Nelly Amadi and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 451 of the Criminal Code Cap “C38” Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State.
“COUNT III: that you Ebere Emmanuel Amadi on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace, by forcibly entering into the compound of one Nelly Amadi and wrote “This House is Not For Sale”, “Beware of 419” and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 249 ( d) of the Criminal Code, Cap “C38″ Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable to Imo State.”
Counsel to defendant, Barr. Osuocha, pleaded with the court to grant him bail on the ground that the case is a family matter and may be settled out of court.
After his submissions, the Magistrate, His Worship Alamezie asked the Prosecutor, Maria Goretti Nosiri, if she was objecting to the request to grant the defendant bail, she said, “No objection”.
The court granted the Defendant bail of N500, 000, and a surety, who must be a Level 10 Officer with the Imo State Civil Service, in like sum, alongside means of identification documents.
Due to the unavailability of a surety for the defendant, the Prosecuting officer, Nosiri took him to the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Owerri.
The court adjourned till January 24, 2025, for a hearing as the defendant pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him.
