Ojukaye: Rivers CJ Threatens Court Action Against Prison Authorities

Worried by the inability of the prison authorities to produce the embattled former Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Mr. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree to the court for trial, yesterday the Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice A.I. Iyayi-Lamikanra threatened to invoke the powers of the court against the prison authorities, if they fail to produce the accused in court on the next adjourned date.
The State Chief Judge stated this at the resumption of the matter at the Chief Judge’s Court in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Iyayi-Lamikanra reiterated that her earlier order, directing the Comptroller, Federal Prison and Deputy Comptroller of Prison in the State to produce the suspect in the court, still stand.
She averred that the court would no longer tolerate the excuses from the prison authorities through writing a letter to the court, adding that she would invoke the powers of the court against the persons concerned.
This is the second phase of the murder trial of the former Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, having been arraigned before Justice Margaret Opara of the State High Court earlier on same charges.
Iyayi-Lamikanra had in the last adjourned date, ordered that the accused be brought to court yesterday to take plea on the charges brought against him but such order was not complied with by the prisons officials.
It would be recalled that Mr. Ojukaye is currently in prison custody on the orders of a State High Court, presided over by Justice M. Opara for alleged murder.
Our correspondent reports that there was heavy presence of fierce-looking armed police personnel stationed within and outside the State Judiciary Complex on the expectation that the accused wil be brought to court.
The trial Chief Judge later adjourned the matter to October 5th, 2016.