For the second consecutive time, the Cross River State High Court has ordered the Nigeria Police to arrest and produce a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Joseph Mbu, for prosecution.
The court specifically ordered the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to produce AIG Joseph Mbu (rtd), at its next sitting on January 9, 2023, over a murder case hanging on his neck.
Justice Ukpai Ibitam gave a fresh warrant of arrest on the defendant before adjourning the case to January 9, 2023.
He charged the Nigeria Police to ensure the retired police officer is available in court on that day unfailingly.
The state government, earlier this year, arraigned the former AIG over the alleged murder of one late Ayuk Etta Ngon, at Bendeghe-Ekiem, Etung Local Government Area of the state on December 24, 2018.
A charge sheet in suit no: HC/40C/2021, has it that: “Mbu Joseph Mbu, on the 24th of December, 2018, along Ndung Stream road, Bendeghe Ekiem, Etung, killed one Ayuk Etta Ngon, contrary to section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap C16, Vol. 3 Laws of Cross River State of Nigeria 2004.”
The retired police officer had not been in court in person since the commencement of the case, but had always been represented by his counsel, despite the court reportedly ordering his presence.
The court earlier issued a warrant of arrest on him on November 2, 2022, and adjourned the case to December 6, 2022, for the police to produce its former officer, but they again failed to do so.
