Rivers Court Discharges, Acquits Ikoku 4

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, presided over by Chief Magistrate Amadi Nna has discharged and acquitted the four alleged suspected armed Robbers, cultists and car snatchers, popularly called the Ikoku Four on the four-count charges preferred against them by the police.
The discharged persons, who were standing trial at the magistrate court, include Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday, lfeanyi Osuji and lfeanyi Onyekwere.
The Magistrate Court also struck out the charges against the four young auto mechanics who were arrested on December 19, 2019, tortured and detained by the E-Crack at Mile One Police Station, and later charged to court.
The four were detained alongside late Chima lkwunado by the Eagle Crack police team, and charged to court on ‘trumped up’ charges bordering on armed robbery and cultism.
Their discharge and acquittal followed the report of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Ibiene Mbano on the matter which was sent to the court at the recommencement of the trial, yesterday.
The court held that the report had not indicted the suspects of the crimes they were accused of by the police, and therefore, discharged them immediately from all the allegations levied against them before the court.
Nna ruled that the DPP reports advised that the charges against the Ikoku four by the police were unfounded and should not have come up in the first place, adding that they were mere speculations.
Speaking with newsmen outside the courtroom, the Director of Public Prosecution in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Ibiene Mbano said, “We discovered that the allegations against the boys were mere speculations and unfounded, and it is not a matter we could be able to prosecute.”
Counsel to the four accused, Morrison Opue welcomed the decision of the court and revealed some of the options before his clients going forward on the road to total justice.
The four persons were arrested alongside late Chima Ikwunado and were arraigned by E-Crack on charges of robbery and cultism.
On arraignment, the four were remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Service by the magistrate pending the report of the DPP on the matter.
The Tide reports that this is the first time the DPP in Rivers State Ministry of Justice is turning in a report on any matter in less than five days, thereby supporting arguments in some quarters that the DPP can help decongest the overcrowded correctional facility in Port Harcourt through prompt delivery of legal advice on p[ending cases.
The Tide further reports that the arrest of the surviving four and the alleged death of Chima in police custody had sparked a series of protests in the state.
Tension had also heightened yesterday in Ikoku axis following the expiration of an ultimatum given by Ohanaeze Ndigbo calling for the unconditional release of the remaining four survivors.
It would be recalled the auto mechanic, Chima Ikwunado had died in the custody of E-Crack team at Mile 1 Police Station in Diobu area of Port Harcourt.

By: Amadi Akujobi