Onyedi Gabriel, Port Harcourt
A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded four policemen in a correctional centre for torturing a suspect, Chima Ikwunado, to death.
The policemen, who were members of Eagle Crack, a special squad under the state’s police command, reportedly killed Chima and inflicted various degrees of injuries on three others while in detention in police cell.
The Command earlier dismissed the operatives identified as Ayogu Fidelis, Rose Georgewill, Eke Chibuzor and Egbunefu Felix, for alleged unprofessionalism.
The suspects were arraigned before the court on Tuesday on a seven-count charge of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful assault.
They, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Chief Magistrate Promise Iruanya, who declined to grant the suspects bail, remanded them in a correctional centre and ordered that the case file be transferred to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
Iroanya added that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter and adjourned the case to September 19.
The magistrate explained that while the court lacked Jurisdiction to entertain count one to three of the charges, count four to seven could be entertained by the court.