Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The High Court sitting in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice Siki Henry Apirioku on Thursday remanded Eze Cassidy Ikegbidi, the suspended king of Igbu Akoh kingdom and former Chairman of Ahoada-East local government area was among over 50 suspects arraigned to Port Harcourt maximum Correctional Centre on Thusday.
They were arraigned over the alleged murder of late DPO of Ahoada East local government area, SP Bako Angbashim.
The defendants were slammed charges with ranging from attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, Cultism among others.
When the case was called, counsel to the first and other defendants, urged the court to grant bail to the defendants
But,the Acting Officer-in- Charge,(O/C )Legal and prosecuting Counsel, SP Enyiyepere Sikpi opposed the bail application, pointing out under the Law, a charge as grievous as murder and conspiracy to murder cannot be granted by just mere oral application in a High Court.
After listening to arguments by both Counsels, the trial judge, Justice Sika Henry Apirioku ordered that the Defendants be remanded at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre and adjourned the trial to November 21,2023, for the hearing of the plea for bail consideration.
Meanwhile, speaking to Journalists outside the courtroom, the Acting O/C Legal and prosecuting counsel, SP Sikpi explained that the Defendants cannot be bailed at the first appearance in Court due to the gravity of the charge preferred against them.
He further said he opposed to the oral application that such charges need a proper application for bail.
On his part,one of the Counsels to the defendant, Sir Uchechukwu Igbegiri, stated that at the next adjourned date a proper bail application will be moved due to the nature of the charges.
Recall Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara had announced the suspension of His Majesty, Eze Cassidy Ikegbidi Eze Igbu Akoh II, for acts of complicity in ceding control of his territory to the notorious criminal gang who murdered the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada Police Station S.P Bako Angbashim.
The Governor also placed a N100,000,000 bounty on the head of the gang leader one David Gift
“Yesterday, 8th September 2023 at about 7.00 pm, I was briefed on the security operations around the Odiemerenyi Community in the Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state and the gruesome murder of SP Bako Angbashim, the Ahoada Divisional Police Officer, by a bunch of criminals, presently at large”
“Credible intelligence from the security agencies traced the entire incident to one Gift David Okpara Okpolowu (a.k.a. 2-Baba) and his criminal gang, who have established camps in the locality and are responsible for the resurgence of violent crimes, including kidnapping and terrorism in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the State.
The prime suspects, Mr. Gift David Okpara Okpolowu (a.k.a. 2-Baba) and all members of his criminal gang were also declared wanted.
“A bounty of one hundred million (N100,000,000.00) naira is hereby placed on his head for anyone who gives useful information that would lead to his arrest and prosecution.
“His Majesty, Eze Cassidy Ikegbidi Eze Igbu Akoh II, is hereby suspended indefinitely for acts of complicity in ceding control of his territory to the notorious David Gift and his gang to freely operate and carry out their criminal activities” the Governor said.
that late DPO of Ahoada East Local government area, SP Bako Angbashim was brutally murdered by a gang of notorious Iceland cultists, led by one Gift David Okpara, aka 2Baba and his on the 8th of September, 2023 at Odiemerenyi community of Ahoada-East.
The Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara had placed a bounty of N100m and the Rivers State Police command had placed added N1m on him and his gang members.