DPO’s Murder: Court Grants Seven Suspects Bail, Adjourns Till December 8
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted N10 million bail to some of the suspects standing trial for the murder of the late Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ahoada Division, SP Bako Angbashim.
Among those granted bail are a former chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area (LGA), Cassidy Ikegbidi, and a traditional ruler Eze Ngozi Anugwo. They were both granted bail on health grounds.
The presiding judge, Justice Sika Henry-Aprioku, also granted bail in the sum of N5 million to Martins Cassidy, Stanley Amos, Ariomudo Ikedidi, Philip Ordu-Good News, and Joyce Ekenne.
Justice Henry-Aprioku however ordered that Ikegbidi and Anugwo present a surety who must be of the rank of permanent secretary in the civil service or a traditional ruler from any of the Ahoada LGAs.
The judge also ordered that the sureties must sign a bond to always provide both suspects in court for their trial while their international passports be deposited with the court.
The court also ruled that the five others accused should present a surety who must be a civil servant not lower than level 16 and whose address must be verifiable by the prosecution.
Before adjourning till December 8, 2023 for consideration of the bail application of some of the other defendants, the judge suggested that the trial would commence on December 18, saying this was to allow both the Rivers State Government and the police to come to an agreement on proper handing over of the process.
In a bizarre turn of events, however, a man claiming to be the wanted 2Baba called in on a local radio programme to deny the allegations of being responsible for the death of late SP Angbashim, saying he is a businessman and is being set up.
About 50 suspects are standing trial for the murder of the late DPO of the Ahoada Division whose body was dismembered and displayed in a social media video allegedly by 2Baba and his gang.
