Police have arraigned the deposed Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom Ayiri Emami at the Warri Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing two royal crowns worth N2 billion.
Emami was on Wednesday charged along with others now at large.
According to the police, he and the others allegedly committed the offence at about 11:30 pm on March 30, 2021, in the palace of the Olu of Warri.
The charges read, “That you Chief Ayirimi Emami (m) and others now at large on 30th of March, 2021 at about 11:30 pm at Olu of Warri Palace, Warri did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit, Burglary and Stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap C21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta 2006.
“That you Chief Ayirimi Emami (m) and others now at large on 30th of March, 2021 at about 11:30 pm at Olu of Warri Palace, Warri, in Warri in Warri Magisterial District, with intent to commit a felony broke into a dwelling house of the Olu of Warri and thereby committed an Offence Punishable Under Section 411 of the Criminal Code Cap C21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta 2006.
“That you Ayirimi Emami (m) and others now at large on the 30th March, 2021 at about 11:30 pm at Olu of Palace, Warri, in Warri Magisterial District did steal two crowns valued at Two Billion Naira, properties of Itsekiri Kingdom and thereby committed an Offence Punishable Under Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap C21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta 2006.”
Emami pleaded not guilty to the three charges, while his lead counsel Emmanuel Uti urged the court to grant his client bail.
Police prosecutor Sunday Irabor called for stringent bail conditions, stressing that the sureties must be reliable.
Chief Magistrate Diejomaoh granted the accused bail with two sureties and N2 million each.
She ruled that the sureties must be on grade level 15 in the civil service and they must provide their passports and body photographs as well as national means of identification.
The case was adjourned till January 19, 2022, for hearing.
