MASSOB Leader, Ralph Uwazuruike Sent To Prison

MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike (File Photo)

MASSOB Leader, Uwazuruike Sent To Jail For Court Contempt

An high court sitting in Owerri, the Imo state capital, has sentenced founder and leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, to one month in prison.

The presiding Judge, Justice Kemakolam Ojiako, says Uwazuruike disobeyed the order of the court to appear in a case in which he is plaintiff.

The ruling concerns a civil case, marked HOW/265/2013, between Uwazuruike (plaintiff) and Barr. Chigozie Iheama and others over a land dispute.

The Judge’s ruling follows the motion on notice filed on July 6, 2017, by C.K. Okorie, counsel to the defendant, praying the court to commit the plaintiff/contemnor to prison for disobeying the order of the court, with Ojiako ruling that, “The plaintiff, Chief Raphael Uwazuruike, is hereby found guilty of contempt/disobedience to the said order of court made on April 2, 2017.

“That the plaintiff, Chief Raphael Uwazuruike, is hereby committed/sentenced to prison custody and shall be so detained for a period of one month from the date of his commitment to prison.”

The judgement also restrained Uwazuruike, his agents, privies or servants from entering into the said land pending the determination of the court action.

Emmanuel Chukwuka, counsel to the MASSOB boss, however claimed said that they had earlier appealed the contempt proceedings at the Appeal Court, but the judge decided to continue with the proceedings.

“The ruling of the court has been appealed at the Court of Appeal but Justice Ojiako insists he will continue with the matter, rather than stay proceedings in the matter, as is the normal practice,” he said.