A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Port Harcourt, yesterday, remanded a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Khana Local Council of Rivers State, Dr Sunny Bekanwa, to the Port Harcourt Correctional Facility for alleged sponsorship of cult activities that led to the murder of two prominent sons of Ogoniland.
Bekanwa, who served under the administration of the immediate past governor of the state, is also a lecturer at Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Rivers State.
According to the remand warrant, it was alleged that Bekanwa sponsored some cultists whose activities led to the murder of Dr Lucky Keena and Deyaa Dunsaran in Khana Local Council, an offence which some individuals are already standing trial at the state High Court.
When the matter came up for plea, the prosecuting counsel, Godday Amadi, informed the court of an earlier remand order against the accused, saying the case was related to the charge of murder, cultism, and sponsorship of cult activities he is standing trial for.
Amadi, however, asked the court to remand the suspect to Port Harcourt Correctional Facility, citing section 302 of the administration of criminal justice law of Rivers State to enable him to amend his charge at the state high court to include other defendants standing trial for the same offence.
After listening to the prosecution, and the defendant’s counsel Emmanuel George, who requested for bail of his client, the Chief Magistrate, Nneda Obiageri-Onugbum, remanded the defendant in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, and adjourned to December 1, for proper arraignment, and possible bail consideration.
