Further to the gruesome murder of four students of University of Port Harcourt, the Magistrate’s Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday remanded the 13 suspects arrested in connection with the killing of these four students.
The accused persons were allegedly part of a mob that tortured the four undergraduates to death in Omuokiri Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The suspects, who were escorted by security agents, were driven into the court premises about 9.45am in a Toyota Hiace bus with number plate FG 120 F50. The suspects were in handcuffs and chains as they appeared in court on five counts of conspiracy and murder.
The charges against the accused as contained in Charge Sheet Number PMC/2009C/2012, are “That you conspired among yourselves to commit felony to wit: murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 324 of the criminal code Cap 37 laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.”
The suspects and others at large were accused of lynching Ugonna Obuzor, Toku Lloyd, Chiadika Biringa, and Tekenah Erikena, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 319 of the criminal code Cap 37 volume III laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.
Presiding Magistrate, Emmanuel Woke, however, said the court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Woke immediately announced the transfer of the case to the Department of Public Prosecution for legal advice and subsequent arraignment in a High Court. The magistrate also said the suspects should seek bail from the high court. The court, however, adjourned the case till December 20, 2012.
Source: Punch
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