The Cross River State Government has taken over the prosecution of the men accused of murdering Princewill Igbunaju Ikenna and vowed to ensure justice is served.
The development followed a formal inquiry into delays that had plagued the case.
The decision was announced in a press release from the State Ministry of Justice, issued after its attention was drawn to a complaint from the victim’s family circulating on social media.
The statement, signed by the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Anthony Okon Effiom Esq., and obtained by SPEAR NEWS, detailed the complex history of the case and the decisive steps now being taken.
The matter, CHARGE NO. HM/9C/2022, involves the prosecution of Uchenna Peter Chinweikpe and Valentine Alloysius (AKA My Father My Father) for the murder of Ikenna on the 3rd of September, 2022. The Ministryās inquiry revealed that while the case, initially prosecuted by a Police Prosecutor, had progressed to calling three witnesses by January 2023, was confronted with some setbacks.
A key moment came on the 7th of February, 2023, when the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Ashu Ewah, “granted the defendants bail on health grounds, albeit with the prosecutor not in court.” The Judge then proceeded on “a national assignment, to sit in an Election Petition Tribunal, resulting in his inability to hear the matter for an extended period of time.”
Dissatisfied with the bail decision and the lack of progress, the victim’s brother petitioned the Chief Judge, who subsequently ordered the case reassigned “to Court 2 of the Ikom Division of the Cross River State High Court, in the interest of Justice.”
However, a further major delay occurred because a court official failed to transmit the file. The press release stated that for “some inexplicable reason, the Deputy Chief Registrar of Court, saddled with the duty of transmitting the Case fileā¦ failed to do so.” This staff member has been queried and “is now being referred to the Cross River State Judicial Service Commission to face disciplinary proceedings.”
With the case now pending before the new court, the Attorney General has made a critical intervention. The release confirmed that “the Attorney General of Cross River State has in the interest of justice directed the Director Public Prosecution, Cross River State Ministry of Justice, to take over this matter forthwith, for effective prosecution and to ease the minds of the Nominal Complainant, as well as members of the General Public.”
Furthermore, the Ministry is expanding the pursuit of justice, confirming contact with the police “to arrest three other suspects, said to be complicit in this despicable crime namely, Elvis Ntui, Pastor Effiong and one Barry, who have all fled and have been on the run since.”
The statement concluded with a direct assurance to the family and the public, signed off by Anthony Okon Effiom Esq.:
“The Ministry of Justice sympathizes with the family of the late Princewill Igbunaju Ikenna and assures them and the general public, that this matter will be diligently prosecuted and that Justice will indeed be served in it.”
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