Justice S.I. Opara of the Imo State High Court in Owerri denied bail to Gerald Irona, the state’s immediate past deputy governor, on Wednesday. The prosecution argued that Irona’s bail application was filed too late, noting that the 48‑hour period allowed by law for prosecutors to respond to points of law was still in effect on Wednesday morning when the accused was arraigned. They maintained that it would be unlawful for the judge to consider the bail request without a counter‑bail application from the prosecutors.
Counsel for the accused, S.I. Imo, urged the judge to hear the application and grant bail, contending that Irona’s former positions as a member of the House of Representatives and deputy governor qualified him for bail under the law. After hearing both sides, the judge denied the bail request and adjourned the case to March 22 to give prosecutors time to file their counter‑bail affidavit.
Irona’s arraignment, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was delayed after it was discovered that his case file had not been transmitted to the court. On Thursday, the police arraigned him before a magistrate’s court in Owerri on three counts bordering on treason. Magistrate C.N. Ezerioha also denied bail and ordered Irona to be remanded in Owerri prison.
The three charges filed by the police are as follows:
1. That Gerald Irona, in January 2020, conspired with others to commit treason, an offence punishable under section 37(2) of the Criminal Code (Cap C38, 2004) as applied in Imo State.
2. That in the same month, Irona made statements indicating he would make Imo State ungovernable, after which hoodlums launched attacks intended to intimidate the governor, constituting an offence under section 37 of the Criminal Code (Cap C38, 2004).
3. That on 15 January 2020, Irona appropriated two Land Cruiser jeeps (V8 and V6) and one Toyota Hilux, valued at ₦493 million, belonging to the Imo State government, an offence punishable under section 390(9) of the Criminal Code (Cap C38, 2004).
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