Aluu4: 7 of the accused persons freed

Its almost 5 months and am sure many of us are still keeping our fingers crossed to see what will come out of the 18 suspected persons arrested in relation to the killing 4 UNIPORT students - Tekena Elkanah, Toku Lloyd, Chiadika Biringa and Ugonna Obuzor by a mob at Omuokiri, Aluu in October last year.

When the accused persons appeared in court last December, the trial Chief Magistrate, Emma Woke of Court I, referred the file to the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice and adjourned the matter until February 28.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, the chief magistrate discharged 7 - the only female accused person, Cynthia Chinwo, George Nwadei, Ekpe Daniel, Gabriel Ochi, Endurance Edet, Lucky Agwurum, and Finebone Jeffrey, aka Soso,  of the 18 accused persons after reading the advice of the DPP.

The chief magistrate, Emma Woke, said based on the advice dated January 25, the seven persons were arrested and charged to court based on mere suspicion. “It is a trite law that suspicion, no matter how strong, cannot take place of legal proof without concrete evidence to substantiate it, and as such, they were victims of circumstance and, therefore, charging and prosecuting them will be an exercise in futility,” he added
He also disclosed that the DPP was preparing more charges against the 11 remaining accused persons.
“Your original case file will be retained to enable us file information with proof of evidence for the avoidance of doubt, against Lawal Segun, ex-Sergeant Lucky Orji, Ikechukwu Louis Amadi, aka Kapoon, David Chinasa Ogbada, Abiodun Yusuf, Joshua Ekpe, Abang Cyril, Alhaji Hassan Welewa, Okoghiroh Endurance, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Evans Samuel in the Port Harcourt High Court,” he said.
But, questions are been raised whether those so freed are actually innocent or the were beneficiaries of police' poor prosecutorial competence.
Although, these guys are gone never to return again but we all want justice for the memory of the dead and their family who we are sure are yet to come out the "shock of their life time". More to serve as a deterrent to those who think they can just take a life they can create.


RIP Ekena Elkanah, Toku Lloyd, Chiadika Biringa and Ugonna Obuzor