This was just as lead counsel to the Pro-Biafra women said he will take legal action against the Imo State Police command for illegal detention of the women

George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

The Owerri Magistrate court 3 erupted in jubilation yesterday following the acquittal of the 127 Women Pro-Biafra protesters who had been remanded in prison custody a week ago for their participation in what the Imo State Police Command termed public protest without valid police permit.

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This was just as the lead counsel of the Pro-Biafra women, Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said he will take legal action against the Imo State Police command for illegal arrest and detention of the women.

After listening to the application brought by the state Director of Public Prosecution, Matthew Ijezie, the presiding magistrate S.K. Kadurumba struck out the case and promptly granted total acquittal to the 127 women who have been in the prison custody for over a week following their arrest during the pro-Biafra protest.

However, the lead counsel of the Pro-Biafra women in his application requested that the two vehicles which were earlier impounded by the Police should be released and was promptly granted by the Magistrate.

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Speaking to journalists, he said that they will file a legal action against the Imo state police command for illegal arrest and detention of the Pro-Biafra Women who he said were deprived of their personal liberty.

“We are going to file a legal action against the Imo state police command for illegal arrest and detention of the Pro-Biafra women who had embarked on a peaceful protest but were attacked with tear gas and brutalised by the operatives of the Imo State police. So, we already knew that the charges of terrorism and treason preferred against them cannot be sustained and when the DPP made the application to discontinue the case, we did not oppose the application because it is not necessary”.

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Also, the Director of Public Prosecution, said that their main reason for coming to court was to advise for that the case should be discontinued the matter as there are no enough evidence to continued with the matter.

“We are in court this afternoon to tell the court to discontinue with the case based on the fact that there are no sufficient evidence of act of terrorism and treason preferred against the detained women and as the DPP who is representing the Attorney-General of the state I had to advise as earlier sought by the Magistrate”.

It would be recalled that the arrest and remand of the women had caused angst across the state.