Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa
There was drama at the premises of the Yenagoa High Court, on Wednesday, as two high profile kidnappers that were arrested sometime in September this year caused a stir.
The duo of John Ewa ‘aka’ John Lyon and Emmanuel Charles Angese whose trial commenced that day pleaded ‘not guilty’ to 14 count charges against them.
They almost refused entry into the Hilux Vehicle in which they were conveyed to the court to be taken to the Yenagoa Correctional Center after the hearing of the case.
The drama ensued when the duo protested that they shouldn’t be taken to the correctional center but back to the DSS office from where they were taken to the Court.
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Crying and shouting at the DSS operatives who tried to force them into the van, the duo claimed that there was no duly signed document to warrant them to be taken to the correctional center.
Counsel to the Defendants, Barr. Francis Gbàranma, also joined the protest but the DSS operatives, in the process, informed him that the document had been signed and was in their possession.
To this, the Counsel said, ” then they will be taken to the Correctional center not the DSS office.”
They were then bundled into the open Hilux and driven off.
The court was presided by Justice I. Eradiri.
The duo of Lyon and Angese and others at large were arraigned in High Court 6, Yenagoa, on 14 count-charge against them.
The two accused high profile kidnappers pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all the charges which ranged from kidnapping, armed robbery and criminal felony preferred against them.
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After their plea of ‘no guilty’, the Prosecution Counsel, Bayelsa State Director Public Prosecution ,(DPP), Apulu Iyobosa, told the court that the briefs of the case was served on the Defendant counsel and prayed for a trial date.
She also demanded that the duo be reminded at the State Correctional center till December for trial, and there was no objection to the application.
“No objection to the application of remind. The Defendants be reminded in the Correctional Center Okaka, Yenagoa till 5th and 22nd of December for trial,” said Justice Eradiri.
In an interview shortly after the Court siting, the DPP, Iyobosa, explained why it took so long to commence the trial of the accused, which he attributed to the flood that ravaged the state recently.
According to her, the case could not come up all this while because of the flood that ravaged the state and the road between Bayelsa State and Port Harcourt.