Man accused of killing three people collapses and dies after judge adjourns judgment in his trial

• Bethlehem Nwanlia, 50, reportedly collapsed at a Bayelsa court after judgment in his murder trial was adjourned.

• He was standing trial with two others over the alleged killing of three people in Kalaba community in 2022.

• Nwanlia was taken to hospital and later pronounced dead, with the cause of his collapse not immediately disclosed.

A man standing trial over the killing of three people in Bayelsa State has died after collapsing at the High Court in Yenagoa, hours before the court was due to deliver judgment in his case.

Bethlehem Nwanlia, 50, was in the dock on Tuesday with two co-defendants, facing charges of conspiracy, kidnapping and murder over the deaths of three people in the Kalaba community of Yenagoa Local Government Area. The alleged killings date back to 2022.

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According to reports, Justice Amadise Michael Ekadi adjourned judgment in the case until 27 October 2026. Shortly afterwards, Nwanlia reportedly complained of chest pain and collapsed in the holding area of Court 11.

Correctional officers, police personnel and lawyers were said to have rushed to help him and tried to revive him while medical staff were called. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, and his body was later placed in the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.

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The spokesman for the Bayelsa State Judiciary, Enoch Okunobo, confirmed the death, saying "somebody collapsed and died today." He added that Nwanlia had been a regular attendee at the court throughout the case.

The court had not ruled on the allegations against Nwanlia or his co-defendants before his death, so none of the charges against him were ever determined. It was not immediately clear how his death affects the proceedings, and no further details were provided on the circumstances of his collapse.