By Lukman Olabiyi
Justice Sylvester Popnen of the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt, has fixed July 28, for the trial of four men linked with the robbery and murder of one Chidi Onwukwe, in Elelenwo, Port Harcourt.
The four, according to the charge marked PHC/667/CR/2022 filed by the Police, are Samuel Onwukwe, 49, (1st defendant) Andrew Epai Otanye, 27, (2nd defendant), Samuel Emmason, 26, (3rd defendant) and Promise George, 30, (4th defendant).
Justice Popnen fixed the date following the absence of counsel for three of the defendants.
At the last hearing of the matter, last Thursday, the first and third defendants informed the court that they did not have legal representations, while the fourth defendant was absent from court.
When counsel for the second defendant, Jane Okpamen, offered to stand in for all the suspects, Justice Popnen declined. Police counsel, Essien Edet, notified the judge that the prosecution had an amended charge against the defendants. He applied for the old charge of March 2, 2022, to be substituted with an amended charge.
But Justice Popnen declined the withdrawal of the initial charge, pending when the defendants get legal representatives. He adjourned till July 28 and ordered the defendants to be available in court on the adjourned date with their lawyers.
Speaking afterwards, Prof A. Amuda-Kannike, SAN, who held a brief for the complainant, said he had applied for fiat in the case, but would work with the police in the matter. He expressed confidence in the court’s ability to deliver justice.