The trial of three defendants accused of killing Miss Elozino Ogege, a 300-level Mass Communication student of Delta State University, Abraka, was stalled on Wednesday at the Delta State High Court, Ogwashi-Uku, following the absence of Mr. Samson Okehielem, counsel to the 1st defendant, Macaulay Oghenemaro.
When the matter was called, the Solicitor-General of Delta State, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, informed the court that Okehielem had failed to file his final written address, despite a court order of June 25, 2025, directing parties to do so within 21 days.
While counsel for the 2nd and 3rd defendants, K. Ajayi and Ben Okoh of the Legal Aid Council, complied with the directive, Okehielem neither filed his address nor communicated any reason for his absence from court.
Erebe noted that several efforts by the prosecution to secure compliance from the 1st defendant’s counsel were unsuccessful. He added that the state was ready to proceed with the adoption of written addresses but could not do so in the absence of legal representation for the 1st defendant, who faces a capital charge.
The court expressed displeasure at the conduct of the 1st defendant’s counsel and adjourned the matter to November 12, 2025, for the adoption of written addresses. The court also directed that a fresh hearing notice be served on Okehielem via SMS, warning that he would be foreclosed from filing his address if he fails to comply before the next adjourned date.
The three defendants—Oghenemaro, Uche, and Onoriode—have been on trial since 2019 on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, and murder of the late Miss Ogege. The case has experienced multiple adjournments over the years, largely due to repeated absences of the 1st defendant’s counsel. that?
