Rivers High Court Acquits 12 Accuse In Murder Of Female Police Officer

A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has discharged and acquitted 12 individuals accused of murdering Police Inspector Christiana Erekere.

The defendants, who had spent 18 months in custody, were awarded ₦1m each as compensation for their unlawful detention.

Justice Augusta Chukwu ruled that the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendants were responsible for the officer’s death, which occurred during a stop-and-search operation on April 25, 2024.

The court found that the evidence presented by the prosecution was inconsistent and largely based on hearsay.

The incident happened when the defendants, Efeoghene Uwheraka, Joy Uwhereka, Shirley Wealth, Napoleon Uwhereka, Ejiro Ejogbamu, Moses Agege, Precious Iyota, Kikelomo Odusanya, Wealth Ojoh, Ighofose Oke, Blessing Ovie, and Emeka Joshua, were travelling to Akwa Ibom State for a wedding.

They were stopped at a police checkpoint, where an altercation allegedly occurred, resulting in Inspector Erekere’s death.

An autopsy report revealed that the officer did not die from physical injuries but from an underlying health condition.

This revelation played a crucial role in the court’s decision, as Justice Chukwu noted that the prosecution failed to establish a direct link between the defendants and the alleged crime.

The acquittal sparked mixed reactions in the courtroom.

Families of the defendants erupted in jubilation, while relatives of the late officer broke down in tears.

The prosecution counsel, Celestine Dickson, expressed disappointment and vowed to review the judgment with police authorities to determine the next line of action.

Speaking with newsmen outside the courtroom, he said, “Well, the court has reviewed the facts before it and evidence before it and come to this conclusion that is the position of the court. I will contact the authorities that sent me and review the judgment and look at where the court has done well or has not done well. It’s basically for us to sit down with the police authorities and review the judgment before we know how to move forward.

“It’s very rare. I’m shocked at the outcome of today’s judgement that I will not say that it’s gradual; it will be enough that a group of travellers will just move into a police station and 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 with the deceased in the fight; the court still went ahead to discharge and acquit those persons. So, like I said, the team is going to meet with the police and review the judgment look at it very well, and advise on the next step to take.”

Defence counsel, Sunny Nwokoro, welcomed the judgment, saying it reflected the rule of law. “Murder must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, not based on emotions. The court agreed that the prosecution failed to establish a direct link between the defendants and the death,” he said.

The late officer’s family has vowed to appeal the judgment, insisting that their mother was murdered and had no underlying medical condition.