Trial of suspects in assassination bid on Melaye commences in Lokoja

The High Court sitting in Lokoja the Kogi state capital and presided by Justice Aromeh Benson Akogu, has commenced trial of suspects in the alleged attempted murder of Senator Dino Melaye.

After taking the not guilty pleas of the accused Justice Akogu called on the prosecution to produce its witnesses and evidence to prove its allegations.

The prosecution led by Barrister Lough Simon opened its case with its first witness one Mallam Garba a security guard of Senator Dino Melaye was placed on oath with the holy Quran. The witness told the court that he was woken by sporadic gunshots at about 1.30pm and that on going out of the house he discovered that the shootings intensified and had to run and inside the house.

Asked by the defence counsel Dele Adesina whether he can identify any or all those he claimed he saw that night. ?.He hesitated. The five accused including the administrator of Ijumi local government wrre presented for identification, the witness said none of them was seen at the scene of the incidence.

The second prosecution witness. Omfort Otuku a Superintendent of Police at the state CID told the court that following a distrss call from Senator Melaye, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operation detailed her and other officers to Aiyetoro Gbede to investigate the allegation of attempted assasination of the Senator.

She explained that after thorough inspection of the house the detectives discovered bullet impacts on the walls, while some windows were smashed as as well as the caravan bus parked out side. The police officer stated that even the boys quarters inside the fortified building where five armed mobile policemen slept was also affected.

When cross examined as asenior police officer to comment on the conduct of the armed security men Dino kept in his house when the shootings took place,the officer said that those officiel person had no options than to to remaian in active as they could not confront unknown and uns’unseen invaders.

Further asked asked on the report she wrote on the conduct of the policenem