A magistrate court sitting in Port Harcourt has arraigned five persons including a Juju Priest for alleged involvement in summoning the head of the Diri’s family of Kala Ibiama, Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Manfred Johnson Diri and other family members, through a letter at a dreaded juju known as “Opuokpoji” shrine in Opobo.
The five accused persons Saturday Legg Jack, Gorden Jack, Wawari Wilson, AmakiriIgosoarikenma, B. E. Jack Tolofari and others at large appeared before the magistrate court in Port Harcourt on June 24, 2020 on a five-count charge of conspiracy.
They were accused of committing an offence punishable under section S16A(1) of the Criminal Code cap. 37, Vol. 11 Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.
However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges before his lordship, Chief Magistrate A. C. Amadi.
The Chief Magistrate A. C. Amadi-Nna Esq granted each of the accused, bail at the sum of N300,000.
And the case was adjourned to July 13, 2020.
Counsel to Manfred Johnson Diri, Barr. Kennedy C. Amos Esq. explained that the accused persons have been brought before the court,in order to give civil protection under the laws, to his clients.
He said the Jack Tolofari family sometime on May 23, 2020 took his clients of the Diri Tolofari family to the OpuOkpoji shrine in Opobo/Nkoro LGA so as to subject them to what in law is unknown.
The lawyer said if the accused had good intention towards the Diri family, what they should have done was to make a formal report to the Nigeria Police who has constitutional authority to settle matters between people, or go to the court so as to ventilate their grievance.
A cousin to the Plaintiff, Iwarimie Hezekiah Diri, alleged that the five persons were arrested on the act, trying to manipulate his uncle at the shrine.
