Defendants Absence Stalls Proceeding Over Killing Of Late Onwukwe

MICHAEL AKINOLA

The absence of defendants has stalled the trial proceeding on the alleged brutal murder of late Chidi Onwukwe before the Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt at the weekend. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the defendants, Samuel Onwukwe, Andrew Epai Otanye, Samuel Emmason and Promise George have been standing trial in charge number, PHC/667/CR/2022, at the Court over their alleged involvement in the killing of the Chidi.

The victim, Chidi Onwukwe, was killed in his house at Elelenwo Housing Estate (a gated community with security check point) in Port Harcourt Rivers State, on the early morning of January 27, 2021.

It was alleged that on the day the victim was killed that he was alone with his nephew, Samuel Gozie Onwukwe, who is the 1st defendant, before the killers allegedly broke in and reportedly stabbed the victim to death.

It was reported that the intruders allegedly gained access by scaling the periphery fence and expanding the burglary proof of an open parlour window with the victim’s car jack.

The invaders had killed their victim, ransacked his room, emptied his document drawer, transferred a lot of money from his bank account, and left with his vehicle, a 2008 Toyota 4-Runner SUV.

The matter was first reported to Elelenwo Police station and promptly assigned to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCIID, but not much success was recorded in the matter when it was later moved to the Rapid Response Unit.

It was also learnt that RRU of the State Police Command in its investigation allegedly arrested some individuals in possession of the victim’s SIM card, one of his phones and someone to whose account funds were transferred from Chidi’s account, but that the suspects were granted administrative bail.

When the Court resumed for the four persons standing trial to take plea, none of them was present in Court, forcing the Court to adjourn till a later date.

While the 1st to 3rd defendants had no legal representation in Court at the weekend, the 4th defendant whose counsel, J. Okpamen, appeared informed the Court that she does not know the whereabouts of her client.

Okpamen told the Court: “I don’t know her whereabouts. I saw her last on Sunday when she came to see me in my church. She is aware that today is her sitting, but the number she used in reaching me has been switched off”.

The Prosecuting Counsel, Essien Edet, had when the matter was mentioned in Court expressed regrets that the Investigative Police Officer, IPO, handling the matter could not bring Samuel, the only suspect in detention, to Court, adding that others were not also in Court to take plea.

Edet: “The case is for plea. The problem is that the defendants are not in Court. We cannot serve them the process because we don’t know their whereabouts”.

“Give us another date if they are not in Court, you can make your declaration. The 1st defendant is in Police custody but the IPO is in Bayelsa for special assignment. We are asking for adjournment to enable the defendants to appear to take plea.”

However, the trial judge, Justice Sylvester Popnen, urged the prosecutor to prepare himself for the matter and be very aquatinted with the procedures of administration of criminal justice.
The Judge, Popnen, advised the prosecutor to ensure he serves the process on the defence to enable them appear in Court to take their plea and adjourned 17th June, 2022.