Court remands rearrested suspected killer of 8yr old girl in prison custody

A Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court, hasremanded 23-year old undergraduate of the University of Port Harcourt, Ifeanyi Dike, in prison custody for allegedly killing his 8-year-old niece, Victory Mezuwuba, for ritual purposes.

The re-arrested suspect, who was paraded on Monday before journalists by the Rivers State Police Command was arraigned at the Magistrate Court by the state Commissioner of Police to face a one count charge of murder in suit number PMC/1897c/2017.

The Charge read: “That you Ifeanyichukwu Maxwell Dike ‘m’ on the 18th day of August, 2017 at No. 8 Messiah Close Eliozu, Port Harcourt in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District did kill one Chikamso Mezuwuba ‘f’’ aged 8yrs, by administering stupefying substance on her in order to obtain her sensory organs which include: tongue, ear, eyes, nipple, clitoris, nose, fingers with the use of knife and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. II, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.”

However the charge was not read to the accused and plea was not taken when the matter came up in court, due to the nature of the matter which the lower court lacked jurisdiction to hear.

Chief Magistrate, A. O. Amadi-Nna (Esq.) presiding over the matter had declined jurisdiction to entertain the matter and ordered the court registrar to remit the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advise and adjourned the matter to sine die.

Meanwhile, Counsel to the accused, Mr. Lezina Amegua, who spoke with newsmen outside the courtroom, said he got involved in the matter for the sake of Justice and expressed confidence in the judiciary, stressing that justice must be dispensed in the matter.