SaharaReporters had reported that a source accused Oghenekevwe of collecting and diverting the sum of N200,000 meant to fulfil the activist’s bail condition and secure Aghogho’s release from detention.
Mr. Atubi Johnson Oghenekevwe, a registered surety accused of diverting the sum of N200,000 collected to fulfil the bail condition for the Delta State Take-It-Back Movement Coordinator, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, detained by the police, has refunded the money.
The human rights activist was arrested and detained by the police in Delta State, south-south and later detained on trumped-up charges of “cyberstalking, giving false information to the police, and defamation of character”.
SaharaReporters had reported that a source accused Oghenekevwe of collecting and diverting the sum of N200,000 meant to fulfil the activist’s bail condition and secure Aghogho’s release from detention.
However, Oghenekevwe denied diverting the money for his personal use, saying the money was meant to pay any surety who had a property with a Certificate of Occupancy as required by the Federal High Court sitting in Warri, but while searching for a surety, he fell sick and was admitted in hospital.
Oghenekevwe, who also denied ever working with the Federal High Court as alleged, told SaharaReporters that the detained activist, Aghogho, was his friend.
Oghenekevwe had asked for patience from Aghogho’s people for him to get strong as he had just been discharged from the hospital.
On Wednesday, he told SaharaReporters that he had refunded the N200,000.
When SaharaReporters contacted Enefaa Georgewill, the National Organising Secretary of the Take It Back Movement who gave Oghenekevwe the money, he confirmed that Oghenekevwe had returned N200,000 to him out of the N230,000 transferred to him.
Mr. Georgewill told SaharaReporters that Oghenekevwe said he spent N30,000 on logistics in court.
Meanwhile, Georgewill said that the detained activist, Aghogho was suffering from diabetes, hypertension and chronic asthma.
He said that all efforts by the national leadership of the Take It Back Movement to reach the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to get Aghogho a registered surety as required by law had proved abortive.
He said the efforts had been unsuccessful despite writing a letter dated July 7, 2023, requesting the list of registered surety from him.
According to him, the request is still on the chief judge’s desk.