The ill-fated victims of the Aluu residents
The
Aluu 4 case which shook Nigeria four years ago when some students of
UNIPORT were lynched by an irate mob in the South-south part of Nigeria
has been concluded in court.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt yesterday
sentenced to death a Police Sergeant, Mr. Lucky Orji, David Chinasa
Ogbada and Ikechukwu Louis Amadi, (aka Kapoon) for their active
involvement in the murder of the four students of University of Port
Harcourt.
The court also discharged and acquitted four of the suspects in the
trial, Saviour Johnny, Abiodun Yusuf, Joshua Ekpe and Cyril Abang.
Four students of UNIPORT, Ugonna Obuzor, Toku Lloyd, Tekena
Elkannah and Chiadika Biringa were murdered in a mob action at Aluu
community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state on 5th Oct 2012.
Twelve suspects were arraigned before the high court on the crime
and based on a report from the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, I.
Otorubio, five of the suspects including the traditional ruler of
Umuokiri, Alhaji Hassan Welewa were discharged and acquitted on 27
January, 2017.
Seven of the suspects, Saviour Johnny, Lucky Orji, Ikechukwu Louis
Amadi, (aka Kapoon) David Chinasa Ogbada, Abiodun Yusuf, Joshua Ekpe and
Cyril Abang were denied bail.
The trial judge, Justice Letam Nyordee, while delivering judgment
yesterday noted that the prosecution counsel was able to prove the
involvement of the three persons through a video evidence presented to
the court. Nyordee held that evidence given against the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
defendants in the matter were overwhelming, adding their statements in
the murder was confirmed in the video evidence that they actively took
part in the killing of the four students.
He ruled that the statement of the 4th, 5th 6th and 7th defendants
in the matter justifies their position that they were not involved in
the murder, adding that it is corroborated by the video evidence of the
prosecution counsel which only captured the presence of the suspects at
the scene of the incidence.
The trial judge explained that role played by the three convicted
persons in the murder were unjustifiable, adding that their actions were
intended to terminate the lives of the victims, stressing that 1st, 2nd
and 3rd defendants were guilty of murder. Making reference to Section
319(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 2, Laws of Rivers State of
Nigeria, 1999, Nyordee sentenced the three to death for taking the lives
of other persons unjustifiably.
The trial maintained that the death of the four students was the
most condemnable and cannot be justified, adding that the victims had
great hope and future for their families.
Nyordee lashed out on the security operatives for their failure to
take their role of protection of live and upholding of law seriously,
regretting that the security personnel at the scene of the crime could
not save the situation and described the situation as the sorry state of
the society.
He said no explanation would ever be valid on why the Joint
Military Task Force, JTF, the Aluu Police Post, Isiopko Divisional
Police Headquarters and C4I security outfit, which were beckoned and
were present, could not mobilize to rescue the victims whose allegation
of robbery could not be proven during the unlawful prosecution.
Nyordee, however, added that the decision of the court would serve
as a deterrent to those who take human life without recourse, adding
that human life should be protected.
Source: Vanguard
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