A Nigerian asylum seeker who is charged with threatening to kill the manager of his immigration hostel has been warned to treat the people of this country with dignity and respect.
Ify Onuoha (21 ), who is no longer a welcome guest at the Richmond Court hostel, Richmond Street in Longford, is charged with assault and with threatening to kill Ms Samantha McCormick, thereby causing a breach of the peace.
He denies that he assaulted Samantha McCormick on May 13 at the hostel, which is run on behalf of the Reception and Integration Agency, where it is alleged he asked a man, who intervened in their dispute, if he wanted to die.
At Longford District Court Inspector Joe McLoughlin said he had been in contact with the accommodation unit of the Government agency who were “quite aware of what had gone on”. It was agreed that he could be transferred to a centre at Foynes in Limerick if he gave a written undertaking about his future behaviour.
Mr Onuoha had been in custody since last Thursday when Mullingar District Court heard from the manager of the Longford Hostel, that he had assaulted her by catching her by the wrist and arm and pushing her.
Ms McCormick, who has been manager of the centre for two years, said she had entered a room which she alleges Mr Onuoha had moved into without permission, and was just finished returning his belongings to the room which he shared with another resident, when he emerged from the bathroom and “went mad, swearing and shouting”.
He questioned her authority to move his belongings, told her she shouldn’t be manager and “called me all sorts”.
She claimed he said to her “You don’t know who you’re dealing with. I won’t touch you but tonight you’ll be dead”.
She said she had been relieved that morning to wake up and find herself alive and had been very concerned for her safety.
Mr Louis Kiernan, who represented Mr Onuoha in Mullingar said his client was of the belief that his attempts to set up a residents’ committee made him seem “a difficult resident”.
Ms McCormick denied that she simply wanted to get rid of him.
At Longford District Court strict bail conditions were put in place, including a curfew between 10pm and 6am and that Mr Onuoha comply in full with the regulations and procedures of the Reception and Integration Agency as set out in their handbook.
He was released until July 21 when cash was eventually provided to allow him travel to Limerick by bus and after he gave commitment that he would treat the people of Ireland with dignity and respect and would have good manners.
