Leadership tussle claims 2, injures 16 others in Delta

.Police arrest masterminds, deploy more personnel to affected community

Leadership tussle currently rocking Agbarho Community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State in the early hours of Friday claimed the life of two persons, while sixteen others were fataly injured via alleged gunbattle which unsettled the entire area of the community and its environs.

Police Commissioner in the state, Hafiz Mohammed Inuwah, who confirmed this to journalists in Asaba, said two persons believed to be masterminds of the urgly incident were arrested and are being detained, adding that the remains of the deceased and details as to what caused the crisis and alleged murder of the two persons were still being investigated by the police who also have deployed more personnel to the area to maintain peaceful co-existence.

It was gathered that one of the factional leaders had presided over the affairs of the community for the past eight years and refused to step down, a situation he was said to have been approached by another factional leader to step down from office so that elections be conducted into executive positions but he refused, leading to a serious argument and verbal cross fire between the two factional leaders which resulted in sporadic shooting by their lieutenants and two persons were shot dead with sixteen others fatally injured in the process.

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Meanwhile, In continuation of the proceedings in the trial of one Azuka Oghobume who allegedly had forceful carnal knowledge of two teenagers ( names withheld), the High Court 4 Umuezei Asaba, has adjourned till 29th of January 2020 for adoption of final written address.

Oghobume, a resident of Ibusa Community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, is facing a two count charge of defilement and conspiracy.

The accused person was said to have committed the offences at Umuehea farmland Ibusa Community with the two girls, at two different occasions in the month of May, 2018. Oghobume, who could not speak English Language opted that the charge against him be read in Pidgin and his request was granted by the Court but he however pleaded not guilty to the two count charge.

Earlier, the state Counsel, Barrister Peter Akamagwuna, through oral amendment, sort for the charge of rape to be replaced with defilement, asserting that the victims under the law were below 11 years as the time the incident took place and it was granted as the Court.

However, the Court was unable to proceed with the adoption of the final written addresses scheduled for the day because counsel to the accused informed the Court that he was served with a copy of the Complaint’s counsel final written addresses right there in the Court and pleaded for time to file a response.

The Court therefore adjourned till 29th of January, 2020 for the adoption of final written addresses after consultations with the Counsels.