Police charge 4 with murder, armed robbery

By Lukman Olabiyi

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba Usman, has charged four people with murder and armed robbery before the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt.

Listed as defendants in the charge number: PHC/667/CR/2022, are Samuel Onwukwe ‘ M’; Andrew Epai Otanye ‘M’; Samuel Emma’s on ‘M’ and Promise George. They were charged before the court on a three-count charge.

In the charge, the defendants and others now at large, on or about January 27, 2021, at the Victory Estate, Old Refinery Road, Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, within court jurisdiction, were alleged to have committed armed robbery. 

Police also alleged that the defendants and others now at large, armed themselves with guns and other dangerous weapons to rob one Mr. Chidi Onwukwe Johnson of his property, which includes phones and vehicles.

Count three of the charge reads: “That you, Samuel Onwukwe ‘ M’; Andrew Epai Otanye ‘M; Samuel Emmason ‘M’ and Promise George, with others now at large, on or about January 27, the  at Victory Estate, Old Refinery Road, Elelenwe, Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony with murder, and, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol 2 of Rivers State of Nigeria.”

At the resumed hearing of the case, when the matter was called for the four persons charged to take their plea, none of them were present in court, forcing the court to adjourn till a later date.

However, the trial judge, Justice Sylvester Popnen, has fixed June 17 as a new date to take the plea of the defendants.