Matilda Omonaiye/
Officers in Imo State have painted a picture of how lawyers defending armed robbery suspects fought police prosecutors with broken chairs while suspects escaped after they were set free at a Chief Magistrate’s Court amid protests by the police.
NewsmakersNG received a video of the pandemonium, as the police expressed their frustration today.
Narrating the circumstances surrounding the discharge of the suspects and the escape of two of them as their lawyer and relations allegedly physically confronted the police outside the court, the police told NewsmakersNG in a statement today that the magistrate disregarded fresh charges filed by the prosecutors.
According to the situation report presented by the police, a case of armed robbery was reported against suspects identified as Kelechi Amajuruonwu, Ikoku Samuel, one Homen and one Chinatu on July 3, 2018, and the suspects were arrested.
The police told NewsmakersNG that the suspects confessed to the crime, claiming to be working for one Chikodi Uzuoma aka Aboki who is suspected to be a notorious armed robber and drug peddler from Umuihita Ntu, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area (LGA).
Police say that the suspects were equipped with two motorcycles and a handset, and they were instructed to waylay the complainant who had been invited to bring some goods.
The situation report says: “These hoodlums did monitor the complainant with the aid of the phone and robbed him of his belongings at Umuihita Ntu.
“On 9/7/18, Chikodi Uzoma aka ABOKI was arrested at his bunk/shrine and he confessed to the crime, hence Kelechi Amajuronwu, Ikoku Samuel and Chikodi Uzoma were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court, Umuneke, for Conspiracy and Armed Robbery on 16/7/18, but the Ag. Chief Magistrate, Ngozi Onyenaemezu, working inconsonant with the Defense Councils raised a preliminary objection on the account that the DCO who is a Senior Police Officer signed for the DPO.
“In spite of all efforts and arguments by the prosecution, the Magistrate went on to remand the suspects in police custody and adjourned the matter till 19/7/18.
“On 19/7/18, the prosecutor went to court with a new charge with the same particulars but signed by the DPO; but the Magistrate and Court Registrar refused the registration of the new charge and went on to discharge the accused on the former charge. At this juncture, the Prosecutor reminded the Magistrate that she came to Court with a new charge, but she ordered that police must go home and come back another day, that the suspects remain discharged and must not be rearrested that day.
“As she was still addressing the court on this matter, Barr. Chukwuemeka Anyanwu drove his SUV with reg. No. IMO WER 411 AM and parked it at the entrance of the Court, and in the company of Bar. Emmanuel Eke started ushering the suspects into the car, as the DCO held one of the suspects, Bar Emmanuel Eke grabbed the DCO by the neck and tore his cloth into pieces, ran into the court, broke a chair and attacked every police officer on sight. In this Confusion outside the court two suspects: Chikaodi Uzoma and Ikeoku Samuel ran into the Registrar’s office and escaped through the window.”
