A former Imo Deputy Governor Gerald Irona, has left Owerri prison after nine days in the Correctional Centre.

Irona’s media aide, Walter Duru, in a short statement on Friday said an Abuja Federal High Court ordered that th ex-Deputy Governor be released on bail.

He disclosed that the authorities at Owerri prison had since complied with the court order.

Duru said: ”Former deputy Governor of Imo State, Gerald Irona is free. His release was ordered by a Federal High Court in FCT, Abuja and the Nigerian Correctional Service had long complied. “

Irona was penultimate Thursday remanded in Owerri prison custody after he was arraigned by the police on a three-count charge bordering on treason.

The charges preferred against him by the police “read that you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, conspired with others now at large, to commit felony to wit: treason and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37(2) of the criminal code, cap c 38the, law of thFederationon of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.

“That you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, did make several utterances to the effect that you will make Imo state ungovernable and immediately afterwards hoodlums levied several attacks on Imo state with intent to intimidate or overawe the governor of Imo state and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37 of the criminal code, cap, c 38, law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.

“That you Hon Gerald Irona on the 15th day of January, 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, converted to your own use two land cruiser jeep ( V8 and v6) and one Toyota Hilux vehicle valued four hundred ninety-three million naira property of Imo state government thereby committed an offence punishable under section 390 ( 9) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of thFederationon of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state

“That you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, conspired with others now at large, to commit felony to wit: treason and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37(2) of the criminal code, cap c 38 the law of Federationon of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.

“That you Hon Gerald Irona sometime in January 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, did make several utterances to the effect that you will make Imo state ungovernable and immediately afterwards hoodlums levied several attacks on Imo state with intent to intimidate or overawe the governor of Imo state and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37 of the criminal code, cap, c 38, law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo state.

“That you Hon Gerald Irona on the 15th day of January, 2020, at Owerri in the Owerri magistrate district, converted to your own use two land cruiser jeep ( V8 and v6) and one Toyota Hilux vehicle valued four hundred ninety-three million naira property of Imo state government thereby committed an offence punishable under section 390 ( 9) of the criminal code, cap c 38, laws of the Federationon of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Imo State.”

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