Tina Amanda
Trial of the four dismissed Eagle Crack Unit Police Officers alleged to have been involved in the murder of late Chima Ikwunado and the unlawful torture of the Ikokwu four has commenced at a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, with the first Prosecution Witness.
Witnessing before the court, one of the victims of the torture, Ifeanyichukwu Onyekwere, told the court that the E-crack officers shot sporadically before arresting them along Ikwerre Road for driving against traffic.
He alleged that all their belongings were collected from them at the point of the arrest.
He testified that himself and late Chima Ikwunado were brought out from the police cell on the second day of their detention, hung to a two by two hardwood and they were tortured from 5 am to 6 pm using all manner of weapons.
According to him, after the torture on 21st, December 2019, Chima Ikwunado became seriously ill and died in his arms inside the E-Crack cell, adding that blood and water were coming out of Chima body before he gave up.
Ifeanyichukwu testified further that the moment Chima Ikwunado died, Officers of the E-crack Unit Mile One Police Division, Diobu Port Harcourt, brought in a white Hilux vehicle and took his remains away.
He also told the court that he sustained high degree of injuries on his right hand, thighs and foot which has caused total damage to his right fingers.
He also tendered pictures of the injuries contained in a memory card as evidence in court.
Counsels representing the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants who are the four dismissed Police Officers, raised objections urging the court not to admit the evidence as the witness is not the maker of the pictures, nor is the device which the pictures was produced from mentioned.
They submitted further that they were not served any memory card, stressing that they were not either given notification that memory card will be used as a charge against them.
In response to the objections raised by the Defendants Counsels, State Prosecution Counsel Chidi Ekeh, urged the court to discountenance the submission as the PW1 is the maker of the pictures, and which the copies were duly served on the Defendants counsel with evidence of their signature on received copies.
He said that the law requires them to bring soft copies and present to the court, as there is no place stated in the evidence Act of the law, that requires to give an account of a printer used to produce documents tendered as evidence.
Presiding Judge, Justice Florence Fiberesima, adjourned the continuation of the trial to today, 10th November.
