A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed October 27, 2025, for judgment in the case involving twelve suspects accused of killing a female police officer, Inspector Christiana Erekere, at the Taaba Police Station in 2024.
Presiding Judge, Justice Augusta Kingsley-Chukwu, reserved judgment after confirming that the Rivers State Police Command had complied with an earlier court order directing the release of items seized from the suspects.
The court had queried the Officer in Charge of Legal, CSP Stephen Onwuchei, over the delay in obeying the order. CSP Onwuchei informed the court that the command was not properly served initially but disclosed that the seized items had since been released to their owners.
Following clarification, the judge directed all parties to adopt their final written addresses.
During adoption, defence counsels Sunny Wokoro (for the 1st and 3rd defendants, Sunday Womon for the 2nd, 6th–9th, 11th, and 12th defendants, and R.U. Egwenre for the 4th, 5th, and 10th defendants urged the court to discharge and acquit their clients, arguing that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
However, prosecution counsel, ASP Celestine Dickson, maintained that the evidence presented was sufficient to convict the suspects on the two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, urging the court to sentence them accordingly.
Justice Kingsley-Chukwu adjourned the matter to October 27 for judgment.
Recall that Inspector Christiana Erekere was allegedly killed on April 24, 2024, during a stop-and-search operation at the Taaba Police Division in Khana Local Government Area. The suspects were reportedly travelling from Delta State to Akwa Ibom for a traditional marriage when the incident occurred.
In a related development, the same court presided over by Justice Augusta Kingsley-Chukwu has rejected additional documents presented by Collins Adele, counsel to the first defendant in the murder trial of four Ogoni indigenes accused of killing a pharmacist, Muenalo Sunday, in Zaakpo community, Khana Local Government Area.
During cross-examination of the deceased’s wife, Pretty Sunday, the defence presented six new documents, including a statement from a star witness at the Bori Police Station and an affidavit of withdrawal from the case.
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Prosecution counsel from the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Precious Ordu, objected to the admissibility of the documents. Ruling on the matter, Justice Kingsley-Chukwu held that the exhibits could not be admitted, describing them as inadmissible.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case to November 11, 2025, for adoption of final written addresses.
The four defendants Confidence Kirinee (popularly known as General Illa), Precious Mona, Loveday Legah, and Soniabari Sagha are standing trial for the alleged kidnap and gruesome murder of Pharmacist Muenalo Sunday.
They and others now at large are accused of abducting the victim, killing him, mutilating his body, and dumping the remains in a pit while taking his severed head to a shrine in a nearby community.
