A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has discharged and acquitted 12 people who were standing trial for the murder of police inspector Christiana Erekere.
Erekere was attached to the Taaba Police Division in Khana Local Government Area of the state when the incident occurred.
The 12 had been standing trial on 13-count charges relating to conspiracy and murder since 24 April 2024, when they encountered the deceased during a stop-and-search operation near Taaba Police Division while on their way to Akwa Ibom for a traditional marriage.
Delivering judgment on Monday, the trial judge, Justice Augusta Chukwu, held that the prosecution failed to prove the charges of conspiracy and murder against the accused: Joy Uwheraka, Shirley Wealth, Napoleon Uwheraka, Ejiro, Ejogbamu, Moses Agege, Precious Iyot, Kikelomo Odusanyo, Wealth Ojoh, Efeoghene Uwheraka, Ighofose Oke, Blessing Ovie and Emeka Joshua.
Justice Chukwu ruled that the prosecution’s witnesses and the evidence tendered did not show a direct link to the 12 accused and therefore discharged and acquitted them.
The trial judge subsequently awarded N1 million each to the 12 discharged individuals as compensation for unlawful arrest and detention.
Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, counsel for the defendants expressed satisfaction with the judgment, saying it was in line with the law.
One of the defence counsel, Robert Igwere, stated, “I feel very fulfilled for defence counsel to defend charges of conspiracy and murder, and at the end of the day justice has taken its course. Justice, as they always said, is good for the defendant, society and the victim. Today justice has been served.”
He further said the judgment was not given on a technicality but on the fundamental requirement of the law.
“On a criminal trial, the burden of proof is on the prosecution and it must be done beyond every reasonable doubt. Any pocket of doubt leaves the court with no option but to hold that there is a doubt in the case of the prosecution.
“And of course the judgment has explicitly shown that there were doubts in the case of the prosecution, The judgment is not based on technicality and My Lord has done justice to that,’ he explained.
On his part, counsel for the prosecution, Celestine Dickson, expressed reservations about the position of the court, saying the police authorities will review the judgment and decide on the next line of action.
Dickson stated, “Well, the court has reviewed the evidence before it and come to a conclusion. I’m shocked by the outcome of today’s judgment.
“I will not say that it will be a norm that a group of travellers will just move into a police station, beat up a police officer and the person passes on the same day, and the court will now come to the conclusion that those people should walk away.
“Even when the court agrees that certain people engaged the deceased in a fight, the court still went ahead and discharged and acquitted those people. The team is going to meet with the police authorities and review the judgment, look at it very well and advise on the next step to take.
Credit: The Punch