A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has adjourned the trial of 12 suspects accused of murdering Police Inspector Christiana Erekere at the Taabaa Police Checkpoint in Rivers State. The hearing is set to continue on December 4, 2024.
Justice Augusta Chukwu postponed the case after the cross-examination of a witness, Harrison Emmanuel, a police officer from the Bori Division, by Sunny Nwokoro, counsel for the 1st and 3rd defendants.
During his testimony, Emmanuel alleged that the suspects attacked Inspector Erekere with sticks and blocks, leading to injuries that resulted in her death while en route to the hospital.
Following the court session, defense counsel Sunny Nwokoro remarked, “We have cross-examined him, and he has answered the questions. That’s all I can say; I can’t say more than that.”
Lead counsel for the police, Mercy Nweke, refrained from making a statement, stating that the Commissioner of Police would need to be briefed first.
The incident occurred on April 25, 2024, when the suspects, reportedly traveling from Delta State to Akwa Ibom State for a wedding, were stopped for a routine check at the Taabaa Police Station in Khana Local Government Area. It was during this stop that they allegedly attacked Inspector Erekere, who was part of the team conducting the search.
The court will reconvene on December 4 for further proceedings.
