The hearing into the brutal murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) students on October 5, 2012 in Aluu community has commenced in a Port Harcourt high court.
The traditional ruler of the community, Alhaji Hassan Welema and three others are facing trial for negligence to prevent the murder of the four students, namely Ugonna Obuzor, Lloyd Toku Mike, Tekena Elkanah and Chiadika Biringawe.
Those charged with the murder are Lawal Segun and seven others.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr. Raphael Ezechi of the state Criminal Investigative Department, who testified told the court, presided over by Justice Latan Nyordee said on October 5, 2012 his department received a report that four undergraduates of Uniport were stripped naked, paraded and about to be set ablaze.
He said a team of police men from Isiokpo Division who arrived the scene failed in their bid to prevent the students from being set ablaze. According to him, the policemen came after the students had been set ablaze.
The witness said he took photographs of the deceased persons and a dog said to have been used to torture the students.
However, he was not allowed to tender the photographs as exhibits, by the Rivers state Solicitor-General in the state Ministry of Justice, Mr. Rufus Godwins, who argued that no proper foundation had been made for the admissibility of the photographs and negative.
He asked the court to reject the intended exhibits by the prosecution.
The Judge adjourned the matter to October 17 for ruling.
