Ex-SSG’s wife accused of killing him slumps in court

Joy Mbam, the wife of a former Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government, late Chief Fidelis Mbam, has slumped in. Court during her arraignment for allegedly killing her husband.
Joy Mbam was arraigned on Friday on two counts charge of murder and forgery in an Ebonyi Magistrate Court in. Abakaliki.
She was arraigned for allegedly to kill her husband sometime in 2018 and forging his will.
However, during her arraignment, Joy slumped in court after slipping while trying to mount the dock.
The incident forced the Magistrate, Chinedu Agama, to call for brief recess to enable her regain consciousness and strength.
When the matter resumed after about 20 minutes, the charges were read to the defendant.
The Defence Counsel, Nwakpu Nwode, raised an objection on count one, which bordered on murder.
Nwode averred that the section 316 which she was charged with provides for definition of murder and did not proffer punishment.
He said: “We are opposed to the strength of the section 316 to infer murder generally.
“The same Section 316 has no punishment section.
“We pray your worship to discountenance the section 316 and strike the charge out.”
But the prosecuting Counsel, Innocent Agoye, disagreed.
Agoye argued that the section provided for punishment.
In his ruling, Agama agreed with the prosecution that the said section was ambiguous and accordingly struck out the first count.
Thereafter, the second charge was read to the defendant, after which she pleaded not guilty.
The Defence Counsel applied for bail, urging the court to grant Joy bail on lenient terms.
Agoye did not oppose the bail application.
Agama, in his ruling, granted bail to the accused to the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like terms.
He adjourned the matter to February 18 for hearing.