Cultism: Court Denies Ex-Council Chairman Bail

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has denied bail to former chairman of Khana local government area of the state, Sunny Bekanwah, who is standing trial on alleged sponsorship of cultism and murder of one Dr. Lucky Kinain.

The trial judge, Justice Daketima Kio, declined the bail when he ruled on an application instituted by Bekanwah, in his bid to secure temporary freedom while his trial continued.

Barikui Henry Deele and Bekanwa were arrested and charged to court following the confessionary statement of a killer cultist, who had fingered the duo in their activities.

The commissioner of police in the state had instituted a case in suit number PHC/3474/CR/2023, against the duo with Barikui Henry Deele as first defendant and Sunny Bekanwa as second defendant before Justice I.B.C. Igwe.

The counsel for Bekanwah, Kennedy Amos Simeon, had applied for bail of the defendants before Justice Igwe on the grounds that the suspects were in, on the basis of allegation, although the court was indifferent to the bail application.

In the quest to secure freedom for the accused, Bekanwah, Simeon, his counsel, dragged the Rivers State government (attorney-general of the state) and the inspector-general of police to another court of coordinate jurisdiction with the trial court, with a bail application, stating that Bekanwah was not properly arraigned.

However, delivering his ruling in Port Harcourt yesterday, Justice Daketima Kio, denied bail to the former local government chairman.

Kio noted that bail is the grant of temporary freedom to an accused person, until the case against him is dispensed, adding that the locus of bail has become more liberal and that the application of bail is changing.

He said a police report presented to the court revealed that both suspects have something in common as regards the cult activities in Kpea community.