– How Uche Nwosu’s lawyer funds case with council’s money
By Martin Opara
Barr. Pascal Onwukaike, Chief Uche Nwosu’s lawyer, who is former Transition Committee (T.C) Chairman of Nkwerre LGA of Imo state, and present T.C designate of the same local government council, has been accused of using the council’s money to fund the case for his client, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Owerri instituted against Community Watchdog Newspaper in an Owerri high court, in respect of the publication on the alleged missing bailout fund.
A Source that pleaded anonymity, revealed that Barr. Onwukaike, who is also married to the daughter of the former legislator for Isiala Mbano state constituency in the Imo House of Assembly, Hon Simeon Iwunze, has been funding the case, with the money he set aside from the monthly pittance allocated to the council by the state government. This, he said explains why he was reappointed as T.C Chairman, to enable him continue to fund the matter that is still in court.
It was also alleged that he uses his position as T.C Chairman, to mobilize supporters to court sessions, with the aim of intimidating sympathizes, and staff of the media outfit. “On one of the occasions he met the publisher of Community Watchdog Newspaper in the court premises, and urged his supporters to confront him. It took the intervention of some youths who were around the scene to save the day”.
The source also availed that, Barr. Onwukaike, considering what he is benefitting from the ongoing case, resents and tags anybody who advises the Chief of Staff to embrace out of court settlement of the matter as an enemy of the government. According to him, “much effort has been made towards having an amicable resolution of the matter, out of court, but Barr. Onwukaike obstructed the moves”, and assured his client that, as far as he is concerned, Community Watchdog Newspaper will soon become history, citing the three cases “the Newspaper is contending with in court which they may not be able to fund and cope with, as time goes on hence they will be compelled to retract the story, which they hitherto, refused to do”.
