By Tina Amanda
A Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has remanded Deele Akpobari, one of the suspects accused of attempting to murder Chief Gani Topba, the leader of the Conscience of Ogoni People.
Chief Topba was ambushed and shot multiple times on March 12, 2023., while returning from Zaakpo community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State to Port Harcourt, leaving him critically injured.
Three individuals linked to the crime have been in custody at the Port Harcourt Correctional Center, awaiting trial. Deele Akpobari, also known as “Bob Satan,” was later arrested by detectives from the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Rivers State Police Command.
When Akpobari was brought before the Magistrate Court on a remand proceeding filed by the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Mustapha, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Rosemary Ibanibo, declined jurisdiction to hear the case. She did not permit the charge to be read or allow a plea to be taken.
Chief Magistrate Ibanibo ordered the case file to be forwarded to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice and adjourned the matter to November 12, 2024, for proper arraignment and trial on charges of attempted murder, cultism, and possession of illegal firearms, among others. Local Government Area of Rivers State to Port Harcourt, leaving him critically injured.
