Sureties withdraw from court over alleged intimidation by suspect

 

Two sureties in the murder case of Mr Anayo Nworah allegedly killed by some youth of Enugwu-Agidi, Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State have applied to withdraw their suretyship to Chukwuebuka Anuta, one of the suspects in the case.

The sureties, Mr Edwin Obiora Samuel and Mr Israel  Chineze Anauta, both of Iruobieli Village, wished to pull out in charge no. MNJ/75C/2022 case filed against Anuta by Anambra State police commissioner over Nworah killed in 2021 at his hometown.

The application, brought by way of a motion on notice with Suit No. MN/18M/2026, is pending before the court 3 of Anambra State High Court, Awka presided over by  Justice Gloria Chinyere Anulude.

They deposed to an affidavit stating that the defendant was admitted to bail on 7 September 2022 by the Anambra State High Court, Awka Division, sitting as a Vacation Court, presided over by Justice N. L. Oyeka, and that they executed the bail bond and submitted all required documents to secure his release and he was granted bail but he later failed to comply with the reasons to which they signed his bail bond and began issuing threats to their lives and causing disturbances within the community, thereby endangering their safety.

According to them, the application was made in good faith, without malice, and solely for the preservation of their personal safety and uphold the tradition of the community in related case.

However, the applicants noted that when the matter was called earlier it was noticed that  the case file was not available in the court, just as the defendant was neither present nor represented in the court by a counsel.

The court further inquired whether the defendant had been served with the application which the applicant's lawyer, Mrs Victoria Okani confirmed that service was duly effected and they acknowledged.

Ruling on the case, Justice Gloria Anulude noted that, in the absence of the case file and given the circumstances, the matter could not proceed, and adjourned it to Friday, 30 January 2026, for hearing of the motion on notice.

Speaking to journalists after the court session, one of the sureties, Chineze Israel Anuta , stated that their decision to withdraw stemmed from the defendant’s failure to comply with the conditions that necessitated the execution of the bail bond.

According to him, “Mr. Chukwuebuka Anuta has been threatening our lives and creating unrest in the village. We cannot continue to stand surety for someone who disobeys court orders and puts our lives at risk.”

The case arose from a petition submitted by  Dr. Chinedu Ikeanyi, a concerned citizen of Enugwu-Agidi and son of Late  His Royal Highness, Igwe Davison Okafor Ikeanyi, to the State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, with copies sent to the Commissioner of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies, over the alleged killing of Anayo Nwora.