Stories by Vivian Okejeme
Engr. Nosa Ukoinwan, a brother to the murdered former Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mrs. Louisa Eni Umukoro, has pleaded with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubukar Malami, SAN, not to change the prosecutor handling the murder case.
The deceased’s family brought the husband, Mr. Charles Umukoro before Justice Mary Anne Anenih of an Abuja High Court over the death of his wife.
Umukoro, a former Deputy Chairman of Sapele local government area in Delta state was arraigned in May, 2017 in connection with the death.
Engr. Ukponwam, elder brother of the deceased, called on the AGF not to succumb to the blackmail by Umukoro’s lawyer, Peter Aihiokhai Esq.
Ukponwam said Aihiokhai has been peddling lies to blackmail the prosecutor Jibrin Okutepa, SAN.
“We make bold to say that Mr Okutepa, SAN, was properly briefed by the police to prosecute Mr. Charles Umukoro.
“This issue was equally canvassed by Mr. Aihiokhai before the trial court and same was dismissed for lacking in merit.
“His recent voyage of blackmail is aimed at hoodwinking the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to discontinue the charge against Umukoro.”
However, Ukponwan expressed optimism in the person and capacity of the AGF to critically examine facts of the case.
“We have no doubt that the AGF will, at the end of the day, direct that Mr Okutepa, SAN, who is a seasoned prosecutor, proceed with the prosecution of the matter.” Ukponwan stated.
The police had accused Umukoro of attacking the wife by “hitting her on the head which caused internal hemorrhage with the knowledge that her death would be the probable consequence.”
Autopsy report from the National Hospital in Abuja showed that the deceased died on April 21, 2016 from ‘subdural hemorrhage resulting from two bruises on both sides of the neck, which is a result of “external force”.
The defendant had attributed the injuries that led to the death to “domestic accident”.
Meanwhile, at a resumed sitting on the case, Peter Aihiokhai, the defence counsel in the trial introduced one A.B. Mamman as the new prosecution counsel.
He told the court that Mamman was brought in from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation office to take over the case.
Reacting, Okutepa had submitted that on the 3rd of May 2017, the office of the Inspector General of Police granted him fiat to prosecute the defendant.
He wondered why counsel to the defendant was uncomfortable with him (Okutepa) in prosecuting for the IGP.
Okutepa added that the application made A.B Mamman was self-contradictory.
In order to prevent abuse of legal process and to avoid a defendant playing a fast one on the court, Okutepa said there was a need for an adjournment to sort out things from the office of AGF.
He submitted that by the Rules of Professional Conduct, Mamman was bound to put him on notice of the petition said to have been written to AGF.
