Court adjourns ‘Aluu 4′ murder case till August 1

A Port Harcourt High Court on Thursday adjourned the case against 11 murder suspects in the killing of four University of Port Harcourt  students till August 1.

The suspects are facing trial for their alleged involvement in the murder of the students in the Aluu community in October 2012.

However, three of the suspects could not engage the services of lawyers and as a result the court could not take the pleas of the accused.

Adjourning the case, the judge, Justice Ledan Nyordee, asked the three whether they would defend themselves or seek the services of lawyers.

They said they would need the services of lawyers.

The judge thereafter referred the matter to Legal Aid Council to assign lawyers to defend the accused in their trial.

Mr Onueze Okocha (SAN), counsel to eight of the accused, had argued that the suspects should be tried separately rather than ‘’lump’’ them together.

‘’We have bail application for eight of the accused,’’ he said.

Mr Rufus Godwin, the Rivers Solicitor–General, who led the prosecution team, said the application was premature as the pleas of the accused had yet to be taken.

He argued that every step in crime prosecution counted, saying, applications could only be accepted after pleas had been taken.



-- Nigerian Telegraph