Aluu 4: Police Arraign Three More Suspects

Posted by admin Headlines, Rivers, State News Sunday, December 23rd, 2012

The Rivers State police command, yesterday, arraigned three more suspects before a Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court over their involvement in the gruesome murder of four University of Port Harcourt students in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The accused persons are Finebone Jeffrey (23), Joshua Ekpe (27) and Abang Cyril (27) who are standing trial before Chief Magistrate Emmanuel C. Woke on five count charge of murder, lynching, killing and conspiracy.
It would be recalled that four students of UNIPORT, Ugonna Obuzor, Lloyd Toku Mike, Tekena Elkana and Chiadika Biringa, were murdered at Omuokiri, Aluu Community near Port Harcourt on October 5, this year.
The state prosecution, State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), CSP Henry E. Njoku told the court that the accused persons and others now at large on the 5th October, 2012 at Omuokiri Aluu Community within the Port Harcourt magistrate district did murder one Ugonna Obuzor, Toku Lloyd, Chiadika Biringa and Tekena Elhanah by lynching and burnt them to death.
He averred that the accused persons committed an offence punishable under Sections 319 (1), 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol II, Laws of Rivers State, 1999.
The accused persons were not allowed to take any plea on the matter.
In his ruling, the presiding chief magistrate, Emmanuel C. Woke while remanding the accused persons in prison custody said the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter considering the degree of the charge brought against them.
He directed that the original file of the case be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice on the matter and adjourned the matter to 28/2/2013 for mention.
In a related development, a Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Emmanuel C. Woke has adjourned to February 28, 2013 on the matter involving Alhaji Hassan Welewa, Community head of Omuokiri, Aluu and twelve others on their roles in the killing of four students of University of Port Harcourt, in Aluu on October 5, 2012.
The case slated for hearing yesterday on DPP advise on the matter however could not go on due to the inability of the DPP to turn in their advise.
However, all the counsels in the matter were present at the court including the prosecuting counsel, CSP Henry Njoku.
Before the adjournment of the matter, counsel representing the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Human Rights Committee, Augustine Ojekudo moved an application urging the court to direct the prosecution to give them a copy of the original case file (D 19) of the matter to enable them be abreast with the details of the case.
According to him, the case borders on the human rights and constitution, adding that the idea is to ensure that equity, fairness, justice and the interest of the public are protected in the matter.

Via Tidewp_posts