The Police Sergeant, who shot and killed his female colleague, has been remanded at a correction centre in Rivers State.
The culprit, Britrus Osaiah, shot Mrs Lavender Elekwachi on the head at Eneka market roundabout in Obio/Akpor LGA of Rivers State on April 23, 2020.
Hosea had since been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force [NPF].
However, while standing in an open court trial before Magistrate Ipalibo F. Iyiabo of a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Hosea denied the crime, insisting he doesn’t Eneka roundabout where the sad incident allegedly happened.
He said that although he had served in Rivers State for almost three years, he wasn’t familiar with the names of places he had visited in the course of his duty.
“I am from Taraba State; I have served in Rivers State for almost three years. So, I am not familiar with Eneka roundabout, I believe we passed through that place, but I am not sure of the name of the places we have worked.
“When we were at Eliozu road, our fuel finished in our Hilux van; while we parked there, another Hilux van came with speed and parked in front of our van. People wearing mufti started pointing at me that I was the one that shot and started beating me, trying to take away my rifle.
“But I refused to let go of my rifle because I did not know them. One of them even cut me on my head with a machete and I fell and lost my two phones. The Divisional Police Officer came and took away my rifle and said I had 15 rounds of ammunition left in it, but I told them that it was 29 rounds of ammunition that was inside.
“The next thing I saw was my picture everywhere in the social media that I was the one that killed the female police sergeant,” Hosea told the court.
The court said the offence of the accused was punishable under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.
Magistrate Iyiabo remanded the accused person and transferred the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice as the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Iyiabo adjourned the matter till Tuesday, May 26, 2020, for mention.
Speaking with newsmen outside the courtroom, the Officer-in-Charge of Legal Prosecutions at the Rivers State Police Command, Gladys Imegu, said the accused was remanded because his offence was a capital offence and the court lacked jurisdiction to hear it.
Counsel for the deceased family, Jerome Okere, called on the police and the state government to expedite action in taking care of the deceased’s surviving infant and aged parent.
