The murder trial of 12 suspects accused of stoning Police Inspector Christiana Erekere to death was stalled at the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt on Wednesday due to the absence of a defence counsel.
The case, presided over by Justice Augusta Chukwu, was set for the continuation of testimony by the prosecution’s third witness (PW3).
However, the absence of the defence counsel led to an adjournment of the matter to December 18, 2024, for further hearing.
During the previous hearing, Barikwe Nkwalwo, a witness, narrated how he witnessed the tragic incident from his wife’s shop, located opposite a police checkpoint.
According to Nkwalwo, the suspects attacked Inspector Erekere, forcing her to hand over her mobile phone to him for safekeeping to prevent it from being stolen.
The 12 suspects, including a groom en route to Akwa Ibom State for his wedding, are facing a total of 13 charges.
These include conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and other capital offences.
The trial continues to draw significant public attention due to the gravity of the allegations and the tragic circumstances surrounding the victim’s death.
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