Drama In Court As Police Struggle To Save Accused Money Swindler From Mob Attack
There was mild drama in the premises of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on Monday as persons believed to be complaints in a case involving Kelly Nwogu, Managing Director of Livelihood Homes Limited and 494 others, spontaneously rained invectives on the accused, Kelly Nwogu (aka The villa) inside the court room after Hon Justice Emmanuel A. Obile had left the court room.
Trouble started when the claimants numbering over two hundreds after waiting for four hours inside the court room, were told that the Federal High Court 2 presided over by Hon. Justice Emmanuel A. Obile would not be able to entertain the matter.
Our correspondent reports that after the Judge arose, the claimants, ostensibly angered by the development, moved towards the accused person and started raining curses on him. It took the intervention of security personnel who were drafted to the court room, to calm the situation.
The security personnel were able to send the complainant out of the court room 2 and took the accused to court room 4 presided over by Justice I. O Oshomah where the case was re-assigned.
The Presiding Judge, Hon. I.O Oshomah asked the Police legal team led by Officer in Charge of Legal Department in Rivers State, SP Gladys Enoho Imegu to come back on Tuesday with the accused.
Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Chuks Enwonwu who represented the Commissioner of Police, CP Dandaura Mustapha, while briefing newsmen, said the accused Kelly Nwogu, a native of Abia State and 42 years of age, will be arraigned on a 494 count charge as contained in charge FHC/PH/399c/ 2019.
DCP Chuks said his arraignment is in compliance with statutory requirement and the need to set his trial in motion, having established a Prima facie case against him.
The Police accused the suspect of defrauding his clients of money to the tune of Eight hundred million naira on the pretense of selling lands to them.
DCP Chuks also appealed to the general public to always exercise caution while engaging in land transactions, especially the ones with watering offers, so that they do not fall prey to scams.
He added that the Police is committed to delivering quality policing services that will stand the test of time while promising to provide robust security in the state during the Christmas and new year celebration.
Meanwhile, the accused while responding to questions posed by journalists, blamed other estate consultants for his ordeal. He claimed that some of the estate consultants were not happy with him because he sells land cheap. He explained that the people who are claiming he defrauded them have not even finished paying their money and there is no way land can be allocated to them when they are yet to complete their payment.
Meanwhile, when the case came up on Tuesday at Federal High Court Room 4, the accused, Kelly Nwogu could not take plea as his lawyer pointed out some irregularities in the documents presented by prosecuting counsel.
the Presiding Judge ordered that all documents be served on defense counsel Chika Agbaeze Esq before any plea can be taken.
The judge remanded the accused to prison custody and adjourned to 17th January 2020 for plea.
