A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has acquitted 12 travellers charged with the murder of Inspector Christiana Erekere, a female officer attached to Taaba Police Division.
Delivering judgment, Justice Augusta Chukwu held that the prosecution could not prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge pointed to glaring contradictions in witness statements and an autopsy report that revealed the officer died from a pre-existing medical condition, not from any injuries during the incident.
The court awarded each of the 12 defendants ₦1 million in compensation for unlawful detention after they spent nearly 18 months behind bars.
Jubilation erupted among families of the freed travellers outside the courtroom, while the late officer’s relatives voiced deep disappointment and vowed to challenge the ruling on appeal.
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