General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo (left), welcoming Prof. Winston Bellgam to the event.

The traditional ruler of Umuokiri Community in Aluu, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Alhaji Hassan Welewa and three other persons standing trial for allegedly killing four students of University of Port Harcourt, Choba last year has been granted bail by a Port Harcourt High Court.
Three accused persons also granted bail out of the 12 standing trial are Okoghroh Endurance, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Evans Samuel who were arraigned as 10th, 11th and 12th accused persons in the matter.
The students who were allegedly killed by the accused persons at Umuokiri Aluu on October 5th, 2013 include, Ugonna Obuzor, Lloyd Toku Mike, Tekena Elkanah and Chiadika Biringa.
Ruling on the bail application of the 12 accused persons yesterday, the trial Judge, Justice Letan L. Nyordee said the charge before t he court was murder, negligence and felony, adding  that while the murder charge carries capital punishment the carries two years jail term upon conviction.
According to him, the law does not give protection to denial of bail, adding that granting of bail is the prerogative of the court.
He averred that the charge of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th, 5th, 6th 7th and 8th accused persons is murder and attracts capital punishment upon conviction stating that he can not exercise such powers to grant their bail application as sought by their counsels.
Justice Nyordee however granted the four accused persons bail to the one of N2 million each with two sureties on the ground that their charge were bailable and attracts two years jail terms upon conviction.
Sureties are to show evidence of landed property with certificate of occupancy (COS) within the jurisdiction of the court, show proof of last tax payment within two years, reside within the jurisdiction of the court and deposit two passport photograph, while the court registrar will verified the particulars of the sureties.
The trial judge also ruled on the admissibility of some documents such as photographs, negative films and video clips which was tendered by the state prosecuting counsels led by the solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice, Mr Rufus Godwin which ws tendered at the last sitting of the court.
The court ruled and accepted the photographs, negative films and CD in evidence which the court will use in the trial of the case the court adjourned the matter to the 31st October, 2013 to rule on an objection whether or not the video clip which was recorded and tendered by the prosecuting counsel as an evidence in the  matter can be admitted by the court.
All the 12 accused persons were represented by their lawyers and were also brought to the court during the trial.
Although the proceeding of the court did not start early as scheduled without some hitches and moments of emotional feelings. At about 900am when the court was initially scheduled for the commencement of the trial, while the counsels who represented the accused persons and their relatives were in the court all the accused persons were yet to be brought to the court by the prison officials which force the court to rise for one hour before the accused persons could be brought to the court.