Drama As Ex-Rivers LG Boss Appears In Court On STRETCHER

A mild drama played out, yesterday, at the

premises of the Rivers State High Court complex, as

the embattled former Chairman of Asari-Toru Local

Government Area, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, who is

facing murder trial, was brought to court on a

stretcher.

This came as the judge handling case, Justice

Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, withdrew from the

matter.

Iyayi-Lamikanra said, yesterday, when the

matter came up, that several petitions had been

written against her to the National Judicial

Council, NJC, by the accused person.

Iyayi-Lamikanra, who stated that the council

had started investigations on the petitions, said

she will discontinue with the matter for another

judge to take over in the interest of justice.

However, the judge, after dismissing a bail

application brought before her, remanded the

accused in prison custody and adjourned till

November 17.

   Meanwhile, during the court proceedings,

Amachree was pushed into the court room

dressed in a brown gown and lying motionless

on a stretcher. An uproar followed.

The accused person, who was earlier charged

for the murder of one Smart Soberekon, was re-

arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on

attempted murder of one Ipalibo.

   The accused person, whose condition drew

sympathy, could not take plea as he remained

speechless throughout the period of the

proceedings.

The defence counsel, Emenike Ebete, prayed the

court to stop the reading of the charges to the

accused as he was unconscious. He pleaded with

the court to adjourn the matter to allow

Amachree recover and respond to the charges

against him.

However, the prosecution counsel, Godwin

Obla, objected to the oral application by the

defence counsel, and the health condition of the

accused.

Obla noted that there was no medical report or

any doctor from the prisons authorities that had

announced his presence before the court to

authenticate the health claim.

The judge, after listening to the submissions,

overruled the defence counsel’s oral application,

saying the issue of bail was already at the Court

of Appeal and that it was verbal.

  

Vanguard