Witnesses Narrate The Alleged Kidnap Of Lawyer For Ransom By Prophet And Others In Court

It was a trial full of emotions recently as wife of an Owerri-based lawyer Mrs. Chinomso Agulanna narrated how her missing husband, Barr Stanley Agulanna was kidnapped for ransom in 2014.

The trial which is before Honourable Justice F. I. Duruoha-Igwe of the High Court 2 Owerri had the oral testimonies of Mrs. Aguwa and the brother to the victim Dr. Jude Aguwa on the case fully taken.

The prosecution was led by an Owerri-based Senior Advocate Sir Ndukwe Nnawuchi while Aham Ekejelam also a Senior Advocate and the former Attorney General of Imo State Barr. A. N. Aguwa, represented the 1st and 3rd accused persons respectively.

The climax of the trial was when the wife of Barr. Agulanna narrated how the husband while in custody of the abductors, told her how the abductors used gun to batter his (Barr. Agulanna’s) legs.

It could be recalled that prior to the trial of this case, counsel to the accused persons in the case earlier stalled the trial of the case with preliminary objections challenging the validity of the fiat issued by the Attorney-General of Imo State to some private legal practitioners from the Owerri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to prosecute the case.

However, the application was earlier overruled by the court.

While speaking to the press after the court proceedings, one of the prosecuting counsel Barr. Lawrence Nwakaeti said that he was satisfied with the trial of the case. He also said that his team would make sure that justice was done and fair and speedy trial achieved in the matter. He however, commended lawyers for showing solidarity to Barr. Agulanna and his family and promised that by the next adjourned date, the prosecution would likely close its case with the remaining prosecution witnesses.

The General Overseer of Bethel Ministries who hails from Enyiogugu in Aboh Mbaise L.G.A. of Imo State Prophet Fabian Uzor (popularly known as ‘the prophet with the trumpet’), Mr Akoma Sopuruchi and Romanus Dike Onyekwere are the accused persons in the case.

Meanwhile the accused persons have remained in custody in Federal Prisons Owerri as their bail is yet to be considered by the court.

Many lawyers, relations of parties involved in the case and members of the Bethel Restoration Ministries attended the trial.

The case which lasted for several hours was later adjourned to the 20th and 21st of June this year for further hearing.