Police charge four protesting traders with sitting at home

Four traders from Ogbete Main Market in Enugu State who protested the sealing of their shops by the governor Peter Mbah-led administration for not showing up to market on Monday have been charged and remanded in prison custody by the police.

The traders, Ezebinagu Kaste, 45; Eze Patrick, 53; Friday Ani, 47; and Ogbu Nkem, 37, were secretly charged with three counts, including inciting local conflict, on Wednesday.

The traders were arraigned before an Enugu North Magisterial District Court in a charge marked No: MEN/2212023, between the traders and the Commissioner of Police, which our correspondent obtained on Friday.

it was reported on Wednesday, July 27, 2023, that security agencies the state government deployed to Ogbete Main Market killed three traders and injured several others during a protest against the sealing of their shops by the government for not coming to market on Monday.

The three-count charge reads: “Count I: That you Ezebinagu Kasie ‘m’, Eze Patrick ‘m’, Friday Ani A.K.A “Ozuome” ‘m’, Ogbu Jude Nkem ‘m’ and others now at large on the 26th day of July 2023 at about 0900hrs at Ogbete Main Market, Enugu in the Enugu North Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; Promoting Local War and Riotous Assembly and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 495(a) of Criminal Code, Cap. 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.

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“Count II: That you Ezebinagu Kasie ‘m’, Eze Patrick ‘m’, Friday Ani A.K.A “Ozuome” ‘m’, Ogbu Jude Nkem ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, time, place and aforementioned Magisterial District did riotously assembled yourselves and destroyed the building/office of the Ogbete Main Market Traders’ Association (OMMATA) and thereby committed an offence punishable Section 112 of Criminal Code, Cap. 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.

“Count III: That you Ezebinagu Kasie ‘m’, Eze Patrick “M”, Friday Ani A.K.A “Ozuome” ‘m’, Ogbu Jude Nkem ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, time, place and aforementioned Magisterial District did without lawful authority carries on war or warlike against the Chairman of the Ogbete Main Market Traders, Association and Enugu State Government and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 86 of Criminal Code, Cap. 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.”