By Ernest Chinwo
A Port Harcourt Chief Magistrates’ Court presided over by Chief Magistrate D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi has ordered the remand of 10 passengers who flew into the Air Force Base Port Harcourt on board the Twin-Otter Caventon Helicopters Tuesday.
The 10 were charged for flying into Port Harcourt illegally by disobeying Governor Nyesom Wike’s Executive Order on movement into and out of the state.
The defendants who pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge preferred against them by the state were ordered to be remanded at any government facility to enable medical personnel from the state carry out test to determine their coronavirus (COVID-19) status.
The prosecution team was led by Prof. Z. Adangor, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State.
The 10 passengers who were arraigned were Nwogu Chibuna, Peter Michael, Ajagba Iheanyi, Ekperewechi Oguguo, Nsikan Pius and Abanobi Chinonso.
Others are Udoh Hagan, Okachukwu Chuks, Goddy Chuckwu and Omerurike Chijioke.
They were arrested at the Air Force Base, Port Harcourt after the Rivers State Police Command received intelligence on their flight into the State.
Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Magistrate D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi remanded the pilot and co-pilot of Twin-Otter Caverton Helicopters, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari, in prison custody for the same flight.
