By Austin Ogwuda
FORMER Publicity Secretary of the Benin Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Douglas Ogbankwa has been charged before the court over alleged stealing of a stablizer.
In the charge sheet marked B/10/600/2024 between The State and Douglas Ogbankwa and others now at large, they were accused of allegedly stealing a stabilizer belonging to one Sandra Palmer-Kelvin.
He is facing charges including felony punishable under Section 412 of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022.
The Charge Sheet obtained by The Townhall The charge also reads:
*That you Ogbankwa and others now at large, sometimes in the month of January, 2023 at 2nd Ugbor road, GRA Benin within the Benin Judicial Division did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: forcibly entry which it said is punishable under Section 56 (1) of the criminal law of Edo State, 2022.
*That you Douglas Ogbankwa and others now at large sometimes in the month of January, 2023 at the 2nd Ugbor Road, GRA, Benin City, Edo State within the Benin Judicial Division did forcefully enter the residential house of one Sandra Palmer-Kelvin damage door keys belonging to one Sandra palmer-Kelvin.
*That you Douglas Ogbankwa and others now at large, sometimes in the month of January, 2023 at 2nd Ugbor Road, GRA, Benin City, Edo State within the Benin Judicial Division did steal one stabilizer belonging to one Sandra Palmer Kelvin.
Ogbankwa was expected to be arraigned Thursday, but when the case was called up, several lawyers present in the court including the Benin Branch Chairman of the NBA, Nosa Edo-Osagie pleaded with the Judge to allow them intervene to enable settlement out of court.
The Townhall gathered that the case bothered on the alleged attack on the matrimonial home of one Sandra Palmer-Kelvin over alleged issues with Ogbankwa’s client based in Denmark who is Sandra’s husband.
The case was adjourned indefinitely to allow for the settlement out of court as requested which the Prosecuting Counsel, Mr Orobosa Okunbor did not oppose.
However, there was a mild drama at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ secretariat in Benin City shortly after the court session as the accused lawyer stormed the Press Centre with plain clothes policemen to effect the arrest of a journalist, Friday Aghedo who had posted the Thursday’s court proceedings online leading to serious altercations as he fumed when the NUJ State Chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe intervened.
The lawyer threatened to deal with both Alenkhe and other journalists present including the Chief of Staff to Alenkhe, Simeon Osajie, the State Correspondent of Vanguard Newspaper, Ozioruva Aliu, Secretary of the Council, Andy Egbon, Treasurer of the Council, Solomon Obonzuya for daring to stop him from getting Aghedo arrested.
