Ex-police officer who rowed with Amaechi faces murder charge
Joseph Mbu, a former commissioner of police for Rivers State, who rowed with then governor Rotimi Amaechi is facing a murder charge. Amaechi, now Minister of Transport, continually clashed with Mbu in 2013.
In the latest murder charge, the Cross Rivers State Government is alleging Mbu killed one Ayuk Etta Ngon on December 24, 2018.
“Mbu will give an answer to what happened on December 24, 2018 at Ndung Stream Road, Bendegbe Ekiem where Ngon was murdered,” the charge sheet states.
The government argues that the killing of Ngon by the retired assistant inspector-general of police runs “contrary to Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap C16, Vol. 3, Laws of Cross River State of Nigeria 2004.”
Mbu’s legal counsel, Agan Teke, argued that investigations had not been conducted into the case, hence the matter could not be presented before a court of law.
He also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.
“We are challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter because the alleged crime was said to have been committed in Etung local government area. The Etung judicial division has a high court, so, why bringing it to Calabar judicial division?” argued his lawyer.
Teke added, “The second issue is that necessary investigation has not been conducted before the prosecution decided to bring the matter to court. The information presented by the prosecution is defective in substance.”
According to Teke, the substituted mode of service is unacceptable and “there is nothing to show that there was any attempt to serve the retired AIG in his house or even to look for him.”
Barrister C.A Adams, the prosecution counsel countered the claims noting the Cross River government and DPP had the position to file a suit against any person or individual regardless of a police investigation.
On the issue of jurisdiction, Adams said the court was the same and the prosecution reserved the right to go the court that suited them.
Source: PG
