An Owerri high court in Imo State has sent the founder of the Movement for the actualization of a Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruioke to one month jail term for disobeying a court order.
The presiding judge, Justice Kemakolam Ojiako made the order in the civil case, HOW/265/2013, between Uwazuruike (plaintiff) and Barr. Chigozie Iheama and others over a land dispute.
Uwazuruike was sentenced for disobeying a directive to appear in court for a case in which he is a plaintiff.
Counsel to the defendant, C.K. Okorie, in a motion on notice, had prayed the court to commit the plaintiff/contemnor to prison for disobeying the order of the court.
In his ruling, Justice Ojiako said: “the plaintiff, Chief Raphael Uwazuruike, is hereby found guilty of contempt/disobedience to the said order of court made on April 2, 2017. That the plaintiff, Chief Raphael Uwazuruike, is hereby committed/sentenced to prison custody and shall be so detained for a period of one month from the date of his commitment to prison.”
Uwazuruike, his agents, privies or servants were also restrained from entering the land.