The Court case of electoral offences against some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers state has been dismissed by a magistrate court sitting in Port Harcourt.
Darlington Orji, Roland Sekibo, Odiari Princewill, Samuel Wanosike and thirty-one others were arrested by the Nigerian Army and charged for unlawful gathering during the re-run election at Ulakwo in Etche Local government area of the state.
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Andrew Jaja struck out the case following a no-case submission entered by the defense.
Speaking with newsmen outside the court, Director of Public Prosecutions, Ibikiri Otorobio said the court justified that the defendants have no case to answer.
On his part, Defense Counsel, Wori Wori said the prosecution presented only one witness who had no knowledge that the alleged crime is malicious .
“We have expected that the ruling will be in our favour, the testimony of the prosecution was not sufficient for the defenders to be called upon to enter their defence. The 1st Prosecuting witness who came to testify said he was not at the scene when the defenders were arrested. In other words, the testimony was basically hear say.
“In elementary law, no court can convict on hear say. The arraignment of the defenders was malicious. No proper investigation was made to bring them to court and no evidence to prosecute them. It is a case of vendetta”
The discharged Chieftains of the PDP Samuel Nwanosike who spoke on behalf of other defenders said they were in Etche as PDP agents and not as wanderers.
“It is a victory for democracy. This judgement has shown clearly that judiciary stands for common people of Nigeria. This is democracy and it must be governed by the rule of law. The electoral act spells it out that political parties have the right to nominate party agents. We didn’t just go to Etche, we went as nominated party agents. The aim of All Progressive Congress, APC, during the 2017 re-run was to rig elections in Etche which they didn’t succeed”
