The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Ngozi Emehelu, on Thursday discharged and acquitted three suspects in the murder of the Deputy Director and Head of Nursing Services Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, late Dr. Maria Amadi.
Dr. Amadi, a mother of two was assassinated by gunmen on March 21, 2019 in front of the gate of her house at No. 38, Enugu Ezike Street, Federal Housing Estate, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu.
She was reported to have mentioned two accused suspects, who were staff of the hospital in the name of Buzo-Maduka Ruth ‘f’ (45) and Afam Ndu ‘m’ (36) as those behind her attack before she gave up the ghost at the hospital.
Shortly, after the incident the police arrested three suspects Buzo-Maduka, Ndu and one Mrs Stella Achara ‘f’ (53), who robbed in for being culpable in the murder.
The three accused persons were later arraigned and remanded at the Enugu Maximum Correctional Centre, by Chief Magistrate Dennis Ecko, of Enugu North Magisterial on April 16, 2019 on two count charge of murder and conspiracy.
Later the matter was transferred to the state High Court, because the magistrate court had no jurisdiction where the Chief Judge, Justice Emehelu took over the trial.
But delivering judgement on Thursday after close to years of legal battle, Justice Emehelu, declared that the prosecution failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt in the circumstances of the case.
The judge pointed out that evidence of the PW1, who is the husband of the deceased was conflicted, adding that there was discrepancies in three of statement with the police.
Court noted that statement of the PW1 and other prosecution witnesses were at variance and therefore, the prosecution failed to prove the ingredients that the death of the deceased was caused by the defendants.
“There is no direct eyewitness account that saw what caused the death of the deceased. The discrepancies in the evidence of pw1 was conflicting from the evidence of the prosecution witnesses therefore there is no clear evidence. There is no clear evidence to proven that the defendants were at the scene of the murder.
“In the final analysis therefore, I held that the prosecution has failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt, and accused are hereby discharged and acquitted. That is the order of the court.”
Reacting to the judgement, Mr Jerry Okolo, SAN Counsel to the 1st defendant, commended the judge and described the judgement as “God sent and very brilliant.”
Also, reacting to the judgement the deceased husband, Sir Marcel Amadi said that God has not finished with the matter, “human court may have finished with the matter but God hasn’t finished. He blame the prosecution on the police who allowed the police IPO from Force Headquarters who investigated the case to rather than give evidence for the prosecution turned to give evidence for defence.
“Police that investigated the murder of my wife supposed to give evidence for prosecution but instead gave evidence even against police investigation report.”
