The Nigeria Police has been ordered by the Cross River State High Court to arrest and produce retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Joseph Mbu for prosecution.
According to NIGERIA, this is the second time the court has issued such an order.
The court had previously issued a warrant for his arrest on November 2, 2022, and adjourned the case until December 6, 2022, for the police to produce its former officer, but they failed to do so again.
Justice Ukpai Ibitam ordered the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to produce Joseph Mbu at the next sitting on January 9, 2023, in connection with a murder case in which he is involved.
Before adjourning the case to January 9, 2023, the judge issued a new arrest warrant for the defendant.
He charged the Nigeria Police with making sure the retired police officer was always present in court on that day.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that the Cross River State government arraigned the former AIG earlier this year for the alleged murder of one late Ayuk Etta Ngon on December 24, 2018, at Bendeghe-Ekiem, Etung Local Government Area of the state.
A charge sheet in suit no: HC/40C/2021, has it that:
Mbu Joseph Mbu, on the 24th of December, 2018, along Ndung Stream road, Bendeghe Ekiem, Etung, killed one Ayuk Etta Ngon, contrary to section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap C16, Vol. 3 Laws of Cross River State of Nigeria 2004.
Mbu had refused to appear in court since the beginning of the case, but his lawyer had represented him despite the court reportedly ordering his presence.