Our correspondent UCHENDU EJIOWHOR reports that lawyers for the accused person reported in court today but were told by the Clerk of the Appeal Court that the judges were not available.
It was also observed that OJUKAYE FLAG-AMACHREE was not brought to court and no date was immediately fixed for the matter to be heard.
A staff of the Appellate Court who spoke with newsmen in confidence suggested that the development could be as a result of a reshuffling of judges within the Court of Appeal.
Our sources disclosed that new judges were assigned to the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal on the resumption of judges from their annual vacation.
You will recall OJUKAYE FLAG-AMACHREE is facing multiple charges of murder and attempted murder.
The case is being prosecuted by the Rivers State Government at the State High Court in Port Harcourt, including one set of charges being handled personally by the State Chief Judge.
Port Harcourt-based human rights lawyer and lead defence counsel in the OJUKAYE murder trial, KEN ATSWUETE, was recently murdered in a gun attack around his home at Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area, under circumstances that are yet to be clearly established.
There was heavy deployment of security personnel around the court premises in anticipation of the botched hearing.
