Tina Amanda
The four suspects involved in the murder of late Ikoku mechanic, Chima Ikwunador and the unlawful torture of the Ikokwu four have been arraigned before a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
The four suspects who are dismissed police officers were alleged to have on 23 December 2019, murdered by hanging him in the sun and inflicted injuries on four other spare part dealers at the office of the Eagle Crack Squad, Mile one Divisional Police Station in Diobu, Port Harcourt.
The Defendants are standing trial under a five-count charge bordering on murder, torture, conspiracy and unlawful infliction of injuries to which they pleaded not guilty.
Counsels representing the Defendants argued against continuing the matter with reasons that the processes relied upon as listed by the Prosecution which included pictures, autopsy and medical reports, are yet to be served on them.
The State Prosecution Counsel, Chidi Ekeh, representing the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, opposed the argument with reference to a section of the Rivers State Criminal Code law that permits the Prosecution to list and not make available the listed materials.
In her ruling, the Presiding Judge, Justice Florence Fiberesima, ordered the Prosecution Counsel to make available to the Defence Counsels all the necessary documents it will rely on for prosecution before the next adjourned date.
Justice Fiberesima ordered that the Defendants be remanded in SARS office at Rukpokwu and adjourned the case to 20 October, 2020, for trial.
The 3rd Defendant’s Counsel as well as that of the First and Second Defendants’ Counsel, David Obio and Kennedy Nwakanma, while answering questions from our Correspondent said the Defence prayed the court to order the prosecution to make available all relevant documents to enable them prepare their Defence.
According to them, the Defence has not been supplied with documents that will help them through their Defence, stressing that the Prosecution served them blank sheets attached to the information which ought not to be so, as they are entitled to all materials the Prosecution intends to use in their court proceedings.
On his part, State Prosecution Counsel Chidi Ekeh, said the Prosecution is to go on with the trial assuring that the defence would be served the necessary materials.
“If the Defendants are ready, we are ready to go on with the trial and the court obliged us. Unfortunately, the Defence said they are not ready that the copies of proof of evidence served on them were not clear, and indeed they were not clear because I noticed it and that was what I served on them.
“If they log on to the portal now as counsels to Defendants in the matter, they can now download the documents as it was originally scanned into the portal. The Court has given a directive in order to make the process. I should assume my responsibility to download the materials and forward into their private mail addresses and that we have accepted to do.
“We will serve them with all our prove of evidence”
