A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has acquitted and discharged traditional ruler Kelvin Anugwo and 42 co-accused individuals who stood trial for the murder of the late Divisional Police Officer of the Ahoada East Division, Bako Angbashim.
The accused were facing charges ranging from cultism and armed robbery to murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The case stemmed from the abduction, killing, and dismemberment of SP Angbashim by notorious cult leader David Okpara and his gang members in the Oduemude community in Ahoada East in September 2023, leading to the arrest and arraignment of over 50 individuals.
During the court proceedings on Friday, Director of Public Prosecution C.F. Amadi informed the court that there was insufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case against the accused persons, rendering them not liable to answer any charges.
Based on this revelation, Justice Sika Aprioku, the trial judge, relying on the advice from the office of the DPP, acquitted and discharged all the accused individuals.
Following the ruling, Ekashie Emehi, counsel to the 37th defendant, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing that the ruling affirmed the innocence of the accused individuals. He further lamented the ordeal his client had endured, stating that the arrest had been conducted under the guise of an invitation, causing unwarranted distress.
Emehi stated, “He was arrested in the guise of an invitation that the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations wanted to see him and he was arrested.
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“Now, as far as this matter is concerned, what it means by a prima face case not being established is that the persons are not connected to that case. So on that note, he is free and he has his full liberty to handle his affairs and would no more come back to this matter.”
Also speaking, Anugwo, who is the Eze Ekpeye Logbo III of Ahoada Kingdom, described the ruling as justice for the people of the area.
He said, “All the allegations leveled against us have been thrown out today. So we give God all the glory. Our victory today is hinged on the hands of God, not human beings.
“What it means is that the kingdom should be happy that today God has vindicated us, and as such they can be proud that they have a king that stands by the truth.”
Okpara, popularly known as 2baba, who was the prime suspect in the murder of the late DPO, was killed during a joint security raid in one of his hideouts in Idu-Ekpeye community in Ahoada East.
The wanted cult leader’s body was later exhumed from a shallow grave in a forest where his gang buried him and was paraded before newsmen at the state police command headquarters along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, by the Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, on February 23, 2024.
