An Asaba Chief Magistrate Court has granted bail to one Nwanze Oduah in the sum of N1 million with a surety who must own a house with building plan within the Asaba Magisterial District following alleged theft of traditional stool.

According to the Presiding Chief Magistrate, in charge of Chief Magistrate Court 1, Asaba Benjamin Debie, Dike Nwanze Oduah, 54, was arraigned on a five count charge of stealing an Ikenga Ahaba the traditional stool of the Odogwu of Asaba) with some other persons now at large, conspired among themselves to commit misdemeanor, constituted themselves in a manner likely to cause the breach of public peace and by falsely assuming the authority and status of the Odogwu of Asaba.

The prosecutor, E.K.O. Basil, told the court that the accused person, Nwanze Oduah and others now at large, on the 11th day of January, 2017 at late Nwamu’s compound Umuda village, Umuaji Quarters, Asaba in the Asaba Magisterial District, conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Law Cap. C 21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.

Basil said the accused and others now at large on the same day and date and in the same Magisterial District stole the “Ikenga Ahaba,” the traditional stole of the Odogwu title, property of the Asaba Community.

The prosecutor alleged on the third count charge that Nwanze Oduah and others now at large, also conspired among themselves to commit misdemeanor to wit: conduct likely to cause breach of the peace; it was also alleged under count four that the accused and his cohorts also breached the public peace by forcefully removing the Ikenga Ahaba (war deity) from the premises of late Nwamu, the late Odogwu, and parading himself as the present Odogwu of Asaba, dancing along the street with the Ikenga Ahaba until he put it in his house, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 249 (d) of the Criminal Code Law Cap C21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.

The prosecutor also said that Nwanze Oduah at the same date and place did personate himself as the new Odogwu of Asaba kingdom by falsely assuming the authority and status of the Odogwu of Asaba, a representation he knew to be false thereby committing an offence punishable under section 107 (2) of the Criminal Code Law Cap. Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.

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