For the second time, the Cross River State High Court has ordered the Nigerian Police to arrest and produce a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Joseph Mbu, at its next sitting on January 9, 2023 to answer a murder case hanging on his neck.
The state government had early in 2022, arraigned the former AIG over the alleged murder of one late Ayuk Etta Ngon, at Bendeghe-Ekiem, Etung local government area of the state on December 24, 2018.
A charge sheet in Suit No: HC/40C/2021, has it that: “Mbu Joseph Mbu, on the 24th of December, 2018, along Ndung Stream road, Bendeghe Ekiem, Etung, killed one Ayuk Etta Ngon, contrary to section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap C16, Vol. 3 Laws of Cross River State of Nigeria 2004.”
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The retired Police officer had not been in court in person since the commencement of the case but had always been represented by his counsel despite the court reportedly ordering his presence.
This may have prompted the court to issue a warrant of arrest on him on November 2, 2022, and adjourned the case to December 6, 2022 for the police to produce its former officer.
However, the same old drama played out on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 as the Police failed to produce the retired officer.
The Police, which was not represented in the court by any of its legal officers, could not also give reasons why the retired senior Police officer was not in court.
The prosecutors, in their submission, said information at their disposals is that “the Police claimed they cannot find him.
“Since the Police in Calabar cannot locate AIG Mbu’s whereabouts, the AIG Zone Six and possibly, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, should be told to produce the defendant in court to answer for his crimes.”
Acceding to the prosecutors’ prayers, the presiding Judge, Justice Ukpai Ibitam, gave a fresh warrant of arrest on the defendant, and therefore adjourned the case to January 9, 2023.
He charged the Nigerian Police to ensure the retired police officer is available in court on that day unfailingly.
