Tina Amanda
Eight female suspects who were arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt for stealing a one-year and four months old baby boy in a Church within the Wimpy axis of the Rumuekperikom community in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State have been freed.
Grace Azikwe and Ebere Blessing-Ogonna were since 2019 been remanded at the Port Harcourt Correctional Center, while Confidence Iheanachor, Love Adumo, Theresa Gabriel, Kate Mubana, Patricia Oluje and Regina Akuru were granted bailed, but have been on trial for allegedly conspiring to steal the child in a Church in Wopara Street, within Wimpy Junction.
The case started on 28 January 2020, before Rivers State Government through the Ministry of Justice intervened and took over the prosecution of the matter which resulted in a plea bargain agreement.
Chief Magistrate RITA OGUGUO in her judgment freed the eight suspects based on plea bargain agreement reached between Rivers State Government, the family of the complainant, Igwe of Ogbaland, Eze Chinedu Nebugo-Igwe and the suspects to pay the sum of one million, seven hundred thousand naira.
Chief Magistrate OGUGUO cited a section of Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Rivers State which allows for plea bargain and ordered that the suspects after paying the said amount to the complainant, should also pay the sum of two hundred thousand naira as fine to Rivers State government fund just as she advised the suspects to go and sin no more.
