The ongoing rape trial of Richard Kpodo, a former Security Adviser to ex-Gov. Timipre Sylva was halted on Wednesday as the accused sought a transfer of the case to another judge.

Although the accused defence team was slated to open defence on Wednesday, the state’s prosecutor Andrew Arthur informed the court that there was a pending application by the accused to have the case tried by another judge.

The trial judge, Justice E Eradiri in a reaction to the development ruled that the case is adjourned indefinitely to await the decision of the Chief Judge of Bayelsa, Justice Kate Abiri.

“The case is adjourned sine die to await the decision of the Chief Judge on the application before her,” Eradiri said.

Before the adjournment, the victim had in a previous hearing together with three witnesses testified before the judge, and was cross examined by the defense counsel Mr Julious Iyekoroghe before the prosecution team closed its case.

It would be recalled that Kpodo, was on July 31, 2018 arraigned for alleged rape at High Court 7 after being earlier arraigned before a magistrates’ court in Yenagoa.

Kpodo was charged on two counts of unlawful detention and rape of the victim, a 26 year old female cashier at the hotel run by the accused.

The victim had earlier testified alongside her uncle and a medical doctor who examined her on June 9, after she had been allegedly raped the previous day.

Kpodo who was denied bail by the trial judge would remain in prison custody pending the reassignment of the case to another judge.