A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital, Monday arraigned the former Commissioner of Information and State Orientation, Chief Abia Onyike, for failure to pay his tenement rate.
Onyike, according to the court, had not paid tenement rate on his property situated at Abia Onyike Close, in the Abakaliki local government area of the state, since 2018 till date.
Blueprint gathered that the former commissioner was allegedly ordered to pay the sum of N10 million, for the said property, which led him to petition the authorities.
Onyeike, it was gathered, committed the offence between 2018 and 2019, at Abia Onyike Close, in the Abakaliki metropolis.
He was arrested and later released by men of the Nigerian Police Force before being arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court Monday, on one count charge of negligence to pay tenement rate.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Mbam, told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 32 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi state of Nigeria, 2009.
However, his defense counsel, applied for the suspect to be admitted to bail.
Chief Magistrate, Nnenna Onuoha, granted the accused person bail in the sum of N200,000.00 and one surety in like sum.
