Fresh calls have been made for the urgent intervention of the Attorney-General of Cross River State following allegations of negligent prosecution in the murder case of Princewill Igbunaju Ikenna, who was killed in Ikom, Cross River State, in September 2023.
The appeal follows the circulation of a video on social media highlighting alleged lapses in the handling of the case involving five suspects: Pastor Uchenna Peter Chinweikpe, Valentine Aloysius (also known as “My Father, My Father”), Elvis Ntui, Pastor Effiong, and Barry. Of the five suspects, three are reportedly still at large.
According to Mr. Ernest Onyeka, the younger brother of the deceased, Ikenna was declared missing on September 4, 2023. The following day, his body was identified by family members, bearing three gunshot wounds, while his vehicle was reported stolen. Mr. Onyeka stated that the vehicle was tracked to Lagos using a car tracker, where it was allegedly found at a panel-beating workshop undergoing a colour change.
He further alleged that the panel beater informed the police that the vehicle had been brought in by Pastor Uchenna Peter Chinweikpe. When confronted, the pastor reportedly claimed the car was a gift from a congregant in Lagos. Subsequent inquiries allegedly revealed that the pastor had been in Ikom on the day of the incident and had driven the vehicle overnight to Lagos after the killing.
Mr. Onyeka further alleged that Pastor Uchenna confessed before the police that he had travelled to Ikom at the invitation of another cleric, Pastor Kingsley, to preach. According to the alleged confession, after the programme, the deceased was accosted by the suspects, during which Ikenna was shot and killed.
Following these developments, the case was reportedly transferred to Zone Six of the Nigeria Police Force in Cross River State and subsequently charged before the Cross River State High Court, Ikom Division, presided over by Justice Ashu Ewah.
However, controversy arose after it was revealed that Justice Ewah granted bail to the suspects on health grounds on a date different from the adjourned hearing date and in the absence of the prosecution. A report issued by the Solicitor-General of Cross River State, Anthony Okon Effiom Esq., reportedly confirmed these procedural concerns following an investigation ordered by the Attorney-General.
It was further alleged that after being granted bail on health grounds, one of the suspects resumed public religious activities within the same week, showing no visible signs of illness. Following the judge’s redeployment to an election petition tribunal, the trial was allegedly abandoned, leaving the suspects at liberty.
Stakeholders and concerned citizens have described the handling of the case as a travesty of justice and a serious indictment of the state’s criminal justice system. They have called on the Attorney-General, as the chief law officer of the state, to ensure diligent prosecution of the matter and accountability for any judicial or prosecutorial negligence.
There are also calls on the Chief Judge of Cross River State to reassign the case to another judge to ensure expeditious and transparent adjudication.
While acknowledging the Attorney-General’s initial intervention, observers insist that the outcome of the case will serve as a defining test of his tenure, urging decisive action to restore public confidence and ensure justice for the deceased and his family.
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