The FCT High Court in Zuba, on Monday, adjourned the cross-examination of Aloysius Mba, Chigozie Onuoha, Kingsley Ugo and Chizoba Nwafor charged with culpable homicide until Dec. 9.
The police charged the defendants with conspiracy , culpable homicide and armed robbery.
Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya fixed the date after the defence counsel, Micheal Okorie informed the court that he was new in the matter and needed time to go through the case file.
The prosecuting counsel, Adama Musa however drew the attention of the court to the fact that the defendants had changed lawyers four times and had been frustrating the matter.
” I am in court today with two witnesses to be cross-examined and these witnesses testified since November, 2023 which is almost a year and have not been cross-examined due to delay on the part of the defendants.
” Everytime we are in court, it is one story or the other, the last defence counsel developed cold feet four months ago and withdrew his services” he said.
The defence counsel in response said that people get accused everyday and should be given fair hearing adding that he was representing the defendants pro bono.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the prosecution, alleged that the defendants armed with pump action rifles shot a housewife, Mrs Christiana Ndubuisi in her head which led to her death in Apo District of Abuja, on Jan.26, 2020.
He added that the defendants stole N500,000 cash, two Gtbank cheques, two cellphones from the deceased’s husband, Kenneth and injured his daughter’s arm.
He alleged that the defendants broke into the house of one Mr King Nwodo’s while armed with rifles, live cartridges and big iron bars and collected N50,000, one HP laptop and two cellphones on the said date.
The prosecuting counsel said that the defendants were arrested by a team of police officers on patrol while inside a Volkswagon Golf III car with the said weapons without the required licence.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 220 (a)(b) of the Penal Code and 3 of the Firearms act, LFN 2004 and punishable under 27(1)(a)(i) of the same act.(NAN)
