The deposed Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Ayirimi Emami, was yesterday arraigned at a Warri Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged stealing of two royal crowns worth N2 billion belonging to Warri Kingdom.

According to the charge sheet with No: MW/178 C/ 2021, Emami, along with others now at large, allegedly committed the offence about 11.30 pm on March 30 this year in the house of the Olu of Warri.

The charge read,

That you Chief Ayirimi Emami (m) and others now at large on 30th of March, 2021 at about 11:30 pm at Olu of Warri Palace, Warri did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit, Burglary and Stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap C21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta 2006.

That you Chief Ayirimi Emami (m) and others now at large on 30th of March, 2021 at about 11:30 pm at Olu of Warri Palace, Warri, in Warri in Warri Magisterial District, with intent to commit a felony broke into a dwelling house of the Olu of Warri and thereby committed an Offence Punishable Under Section 411 of the Criminal Code Cap C21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta 2006.

That you Ayirimi Emami (m) and others now at large on the 30th March, 2021 at about 11:30 pm at Olu of Palace, Warri, in Warri Magisterial District did steal two crowns valued at Two Billion Naira, properties of Itsekiri Kingdom and thereby committed an Offence Punishable Under Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap C21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta 2006.

Emami pleaded not guilty to the three charges.

Lead counsel to the accused, Mr. Emmanuel Uti, urged the court to grant his client bail, and said the accused was willing and ready to appear in court any time he was called to appear.

Similarly, police prosecuting counsel, SP Sunday Irabor, said the discretion of granting bail lied within the court. He, however, called for a stringent bail condition, stressing that the sureties must be reliable.

Mr. Fabius Jemide Atie held watching brief on behalf of Olu of Warri Palace.

Chief Magistrate Diejomaoh granted the accused bail with two sureties and N2 million each.

The sureties, she ruled, must be on Grade Level 15 in the civil service and they must provide their passports and body photographs as well as National means of identification.

The case was adjourned till January 19, 2022 for hearing.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.