Alleged homicide: Absence of defence counsel stalls trial of ex-police officer

News Agency Of Nigeria 12:28 - 12 April 2022

Court (AllNews)

The absence of a defence counsel, Mr Gabriel Salifu in an FCT High Court in Kubwa, Abuja, stalled the trial of a dismissed policeman, Insp Haruna Ocheni for allegedly shooting a 17-year-old boy to death.

The police charged Ocheni with culpable homicide.

He pleaded not guilty to.

At the resumed trial, the Prosecution Counsel, Adama Musa, told the court that the defence counsel was in court earlier but said he was feeling ill and dizzy.

Musa added that the defence counsel said he would not be able to conduct the proceedings of the day as a result.

Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya adjourned the matter until July 5 for hearing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the police alleged that the defendant shot the 17-year-old boy to death in his father’s house, in March 2020.

The father of the deceased, Mr Gabriel Chikezie, a commercial driver testified in court on June 2021.

The offence, the police said contravened the provisions of Section 220 of the Penal Code.