An Ebonyi State High Court sitting in Iboko, Izzi Local Government Area, has discharged and acquitted three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward executive members over allegations of cultism, impersonation and forgery of party documents in a case linked to the suspension and subsequent expulsion of former PDP South-East National Vice Chairman, Ali Odefa.
Key Highlights
- Ebonyi High Court acquits three PDP ward officials over allegations of cultism, impersonation and forgery.
- Justice Ruth Edenwali ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt.
- The defendants are Obinna Nwachukwu, Idika Ogbonnya and Njoku Nwagwu.
- The case arose from a 2024 petition by former PDP South-East National Vice Chairman Ali Odefa.
- The court found insufficient evidence to establish that the defendants were cultists or forged party documents.
- The Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, had earlier upheld the validity of Odefa’s suspension from the PDP.
- Odefa was subsequently expelled from the party following a disciplinary process over alleged anti-party activities.
Ebonyi High Court Acquits Three PDP Officials
Justice Ruth Edenwali delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, in suit number HIB/15C/2026, titled The State v. Obinna Nwachukwu & 2 Ors.
The defendants — Obinna Nwachukwu, Idika Ogbonnya and Njoku Nwagwu — are executive committee members of the PDP in Ogudu Okwor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The court held that the prosecution had failed to establish the criminal allegations against the trio, including claims that they impersonated party officials, engaged in cultism and forged PDP documents connected to Odefa’s suspension and subsequent expulsion.
In reaching its decision, Justice Edenwali said the allegations had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt, the standard required for a criminal conviction.
Court Says Evidence of Cultism Was Not Established
In its judgment, the court found that Odefa had failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate his allegation that the defendants were cultists.
According to the judge, Odefa told the court that he had been attacked in his village and at a stadium. However, when asked whether he had reported the alleged incidents to any security agency, he said he had not.
The court also noted that Odefa could not produce evidence demonstrating that the defendants belonged to a cult group.
The police prosecutor, who testified during the proceedings, also failed to present evidence sufficient to establish the allegation of cultism against the accused persons.
The court consequently held that the allegation had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt.
Forgery Allegation Against PDP Executives Fails
Justice Edenwali also ruled that the evidence before the court did not establish that the defendants forged PDP documents in connection with Odefa’s suspension and subsequent expulsion from the party.
The case arose from a petition Odefa submitted to the police in 2024, alleging that the three ward officials had attacked him, impersonated PDP ward executives and forged party documents used in the disciplinary action against him.
However, the court found that the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence to substantiate the forgery allegation.
The acquittal means the defendants were not convicted of the offences charged in the criminal case. It does not, by itself, determine every separate dispute concerning the internal affairs of the PDP.
Court of Appeal Earlier Upheld Odefa’s Suspension
The latest judgment comes after an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, concerning Odefa’s suspension from the PDP.
On September 24, 2026, the appellate court delivered a unanimous judgment in Appeal No. CA/E/22/2025, upholding the Federal High Court’s decision that Odefa had been validly suspended by the PDP ward executives.
The Court of Appeal held that the suspension complied with the relevant provisions of the PDP Constitution, 2017, as amended.
The appellate ruling addressed the validity of Odefa’s suspension, while the Ebonyi High Court case concerned criminal allegations of cultism, impersonation and forgery against the three ward officials.
The two proceedings therefore dealt with related events but different legal questions.
Federal High Court Had Ruled on PDP Suspension
On December 11, 2024, Justice Hilary Oshomah of the Federal High Court in Abakaliki ruled in Suit No. FHC/AI/CS/183/2024 that Odefa had been validly suspended by the PDP executive committee of Ogudu Okwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area.
The decision was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal in September 2026.
Following his suspension, Odefa was expelled from the PDP after a disciplinary committee established by the party reportedly found him guilty of allegations of engaging in anti-party activities.
The expulsion followed the party’s internal disciplinary process, while the later criminal case examined whether the ward officials had committed the offences alleged in the police complaint.
Read also:
- Ebonyi PDP factions clash over Court’s nullification of Ibadan Convention
- Ebonyi PDP dismisses purported suspension of leaders
- Prepare For A Decisive Political Battle In 2027 Poll, Ebonyi PDP Governorship Candidate Tells Electorate
What the Judgment Means for the PDP Officials
The acquittal represents the conclusion of the criminal case against Nwachukwu, Ogbonnya and Nwagwu on the charges before the Ebonyi State High Court.
Justice Edenwali’s decision was based on the court’s finding that the allegations had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt.
The separate judicial decisions concerning Odefa’s suspension and the criminal allegations against the ward officials highlight the distinction between internal party disciplinary disputes and criminal prosecutions.
While the Court of Appeal upheld the validity of Odefa’s suspension, the Ebonyi High Court found insufficient evidence to convict the three officials of cultism and forgery.
For more court and political news from Ebonyi and the South-East, follow us on X.
