By Okhide Em’ya David
Principal witness, in the alleged murder of Mr. Suuny Etchie, the Okaighele of Kolokolo Community in Ologbo Dukedom, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria, Mr. Benson Ayokotie, on Wednesday told the Court that key suspects, amongst the 7 accused Persons confessed to the crime in his presence at the State Police command.
He said the suspect narrated how they allegedly abducted, murdered and buried their Victim in a shallow grave and later threw the corpse into the river when they could not handle the heat from their nefarious act.
The Principal Witness one, PWI, Mr. Benson Ayokotie who gave names of the key accused persons as Oluwa Esimijie and Erewa Benjamen told the Court that he was the elder brother to the deceased Mr. Sunny Eichie.
However, Counsels to the accused persons including, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ighedosa Imadegbelo, R O Okoegbu and O T Okeke raised objections to the claims by the PWI saying his utterances before the Court were not contained in the official statements of the witness served on them.
He added that his claims were heresies and requested that they be immediately and officially furnished with copies of the statements by the State Counsel in charge of the case Mrs. Osasu Ewemade Esq.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele consequently adjourned hearing in the case to 1 PM on Thursday, February 4, 2021 to enable the defense Counsels be formally furnished with hard copies of the complete or full statements of the PWI, observing that not fulfilling that requirement was tantamount to the Court granting a situation of an “ambush”.
The PWI who was being cross examined by State Counsel, Mrs. Osasu Ewemade Esq, earlier told the Court that his late younger brother Mr. Sunny Etchie and himself as well as the entire Kolokolo Community had on the 19/05/2019 held a peaceful protest.
He said the protest lasted for seven days against an Oil drilling Company, “Sahara Enegeed Resources” operating in Kolokolo-Ajoki forests over nonpayment of Royalties to the “Community in the form of developments, Job Slots, etc”.
The Witness said the peaceful protest lasted for seven days and that on the eight day, the eighth accused Person, the Iyatsere of Warri, Chief Johnson Atselege whom he claimed is not in any way related to the Kolokolo Community stormed there with 7 speed Boats, loaded with youths, dispersed them, and took over the Barge they had occupied while the Protest lasted.
He said in the milieu, a male protester sustained gun shot while another was abducted, and later released the next day adding that unknowingly Chief Johnson Atselege was collecting the Royalties or full entitlements meant for Kolokolo Community from the Drilling Firm, Sahara Reneged Resources ltd.
The principal witness one, PWI, said that on Thursday, 04/06/2021 he was travelling to Benin City amidst heavy traffic from the Ologbo axis in a public transport when he suddenly observed that a group of boys were trailing the vehicle conveying him.
He said he had to appeal to the driver to kindly maneuver to safety while praying for his dear life and divine intervention adding that at that point he noticed that it was one of the accused Mr. Oluwa Esimijie who led those trailing him and was shouting orders at the driver to stop the vehicle and alerting others about his whereabouts.
The PWI said he was however lucky that the driver resisted the threats of the youths and helped him to escape.
Mr Benson Ayokotie said at about 4 or 5 PM on the 07/06/2020 he had a distress telephone call from his younger Brother, late Mr. Sunny Etchie whose corpse has till today not been found that “Johnson Atselege Boys ” had rounded him up at Ologbo Town.
According to him his brother also told him that he had to seek refuge at the premises of task force at Agip Petroleum, a check Point, and passionately begged him to alert security Agencies specifically Nigerian Army Personnel towards his rescue.
He said he quickly called the Personal Assistant to the 4 Brigade Commander of the Nigerian Army who promised that he was mobilizing men to the place. He said “that was the last call I got from my brother till today”.
The PWI said he rushed to the Edo State Police Command the next day, 08/06/2020 to lodge complaints and that the Police swiftly took it upon themselves to bring the perpetuators or suspects to book.
He added that it was while they were at the Police headquarters in, GRA, Benin that the accused Persons, Oluwa Esimijie and Benjamen Erewa made the confessional statements of actively participating in the abduction, murder and disposal of the corpse of his late Brother Mr Sunny Etchie.
It would be recalled that the 1st defendant in this case , Chief Johnson Atseleghe and 7 Others are being arraigned on a count charge bothering on conspiracy, kidnapping and murder of Sunny Etchie, the Okhaigele of Kolokolo community, in suite number B/co/717m/20.
The offence contravened Sections (324) punishable under the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004, and Section 2 (2) and punishable under section 3 of 00 prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2013 of Edo State.
The 7 other defendants who were all in Court on Wednesday are, Felicia Otikpere, female – 55; Oluwa Esimije – 38; Monday Iluwa – 58; Ayokotse Robinson – 54; Nosa Omoregie – 54; Mofe Samuel – 40; Magnanimous Omawumi – 40; Ayuwa Mofe – 65, Amerete Ejiro – 25, Onyeburutan Jeffrey – 25 and Benjamin Erewa – 39.
On the case of alleged murder of Ologbo Youth Leaders, Okuomuose Omorodion and one Genesis Orji by the Iyatsere of Warri, Johnson Atseleghe, and 7 other accomplices presiding judge , Hon Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele also adjourned hearing to I:pm Thursday , 04/02/2021.
However, an argument had ensued between the State Counsel, Mrs. Osasu Ewemade Esq and Defense Counsel over obtaining statement from a key accused person, Mr. Oluwa Esimijie, who was AWOL and later domesticated at the Nigerian correctional facility at Oko, Benin City.
The defense Counsel said he had asked his client not to issue any statement in his absence and secondly he wanted to take clearance from the Court if it was right for him to still make a statement when the case is already before his lordship.
Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele assured the defense Counsel that the case would be held and that sections 338 and 238 of the amended Constitution and Judicial Procedure had put those issues in the right perspective observing that what was important was that the case was in Court.
