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IKOKU 4: Four police officers remanded for murder, torture of suspects

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IKOKU 4: Four police officers remanded for murder, torture of suspects

Four police officers have been remanded in the Correctional Center over alleged torture of one Chima Ikwunado to death.

The police officers allegedly also inflicted various degrees of injuries on three other suspects while detaining them in a police cell in Rivers State.

The officers were remanded by a Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Tuesday.

Ripples Nigeria had in January, 2020 reported how police in Rivers allegedly tortured Ikwunado to death and released three other suspects arrested with him without establishing any case against them.

The officers, who are operatives of Eagle-Crack, an outfit of the state police command, were subsequently dismissed for unprofessionalism.

Read also: Two killed in suspected cult clash in Imo

The officers are Ayogu Fidelis, Rose Georgewill, Eke Chibuzor and Egbunefu Felix.

On Tuesday, the four police officers were arraigned before the Magistrate on seven counts bordering on murder, conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful assault on the three other friends of Chima.

However, when the charges preferred against the defendants were read, the four suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, Promise Iruanya failed to grant the suspects bail and remanded them in the Correctional Centre.

The Chief Magistrate ordered that the case file be transferred to the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

Iroanya added that the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter and adjourned it till September 19, for the legal advice.

The Magistrate explained that while the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain count one to three of the charges, count four to seven could be entertained.

Meanwhile, the former E-Crack Commander, Benson Adetuyi, and Inspector Sam Amadi, earlier mentioned in the case were not arraigned in court.

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