By Peter Okutu

A Magistrate Court in Abakaliki has remanded Mr. Augustine Nwazunku, the former Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, along with three other suspects, over allegations of cultism, forgery, impersonation, and the illegal suspension of Chief Ali Odefa, the South East National Vice Chairman of the PDP.

Magistrate Ojemba Isu-oko denied the defendants’ bail application, submitted by their counsel, U. A. Obasi, and ordered the four suspects to be held in prison custody until November 18, 2024.

The five-count charge against Nwazunku and his co-defendants—Obinna Nwachukwu, Njoku Nwagwu, and Ogbonnaya Idika—includes allegations of forging a letter purporting to come from PDP executives of the Ogudu-Okwor ward in Oshiri, which falsely claimed the suspension of Chief Odefa.

The suspects are also accused of being members of the proscribed secret cult known as the Vikings confraternity, violating Section 3 (1) (3) of the Ebonyi State Law prohibiting secret cult activities and the carrying of offensive weapons, punishable under Section 5 of the same law.

The charges state that on October 2, 2024, at Ogudu-Okwor Onicha, the defendants conspired to commit various felonies, including cultism, forgery, impersonation, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, thereby committing an offense under Section 516 A (a) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ebonyi State.

The allegations also assert that the group conducted themselves in a manner likely to incite disaffection among the PDP executives and falsely represented themselves as executives of the Ogudu-Okwor ward, intending to defraud.

Mr. Nwazunku previously oversaw the HIV and AIDS Agency in Ebonyi State and contested the 2023 gubernatorial election against his younger brother, Chukwuma.