Trial commences on the murder of Uniport students

A Rivers State High Court has commenced hearing on the case of alleged murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, which occurred on October 5, 2012, in Omuokiri, Aluu community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
This is even as the first accused person, Lawal Segun, has admitted his statement contained in the police report, though saying that he made it under duress.

The victims were Ugonna Obuzor, Lloyd Toku Mike, Tekenah Elkanah and Chiadika Biringa.
Segun is among the 12 persons standing trial in the case, and among the eight persons facing a murder charge. The other seven persons facing the same charge with him are  former police Sergeant Lucky Orji, Ikechukwu Louis Amadi (aka Kapoon), David Chinasa Ogbada, Abiodun Yusuf, Joshua Ekpe, Abang Cyril and John Ayuwa.
The other four accused, Alhaji Hassan Welewa, Okoghiroh Endurance, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Evans Samuel, were granted bail because their alleged offence of negligence to prevent felony, was bailable.
Yesterday, Segun, while giving his evidence, told the court that he was tortured and his life threatened by the police officer that wrote his statement, which the first Prosecution Witness (PW1), Raphael Ezechi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), had earlier denied when he was cross-examined by the accused person’s counsel, J. Kehinde.
The 31-year-old accused person said before he signed the statement, police played the video clip of the incident for him, pointing out that he was the person (in the film) begging the youths to stop beating the victims.
Also, Segun, a taxi driver, told the court that the said statement was not read to him by the police before he signed it, alleging that police inflicted wounds on his head and back at the police station.
During cross-examination by the state Solicitor General, Mr. Rufus Godwins, the accused person said the statement he signed was made under duress. He expressed displeasure over the barrage of questions asked by the solicitor general.
The trial judge, Justice Letam Nyordee, said he would take up the accused persons’ evidence before ruling on the voluntariness or otherwise, of their respective statements.
He adjourned the case till March 13 and 27 for continuation of examination.