Court Acquits Chidi Lloyd over Attempted Murder

Port Harcourt - Mr Chidi Lloyd, Majority Leader of the Rivers House of Assembly, was on Thursday discharged and acquitted by a High Court in Port Harcourt over a charge of attempted murder. Justice Ledan Nyordee, who delivered the judgment, said there was nothing the court could do in the matter as the police was not willing to prosecute the case.

Lloyd was arrested and charged with attempted murder of Mr Michael Chinda, (PDP- Obio/Akpor 11) in the state legislature.

Lloyd was alleged to have hit Chinda on the head with a mace during a fight between the supporters of Gov. Chibuike Ameachi and anti-Amaechi legislators in July 2013. NAN also recalls that the state legislative complex was closed down after the free-for-all.
Embattled Rivers House of Assembly Leader Hon Chidi Lloyd at the High Court in Rivers State in Company of The Police recently. Photo; Nwankpa Chijioke

File: Embattled Rivers House of Assembly Leader Hon Chidi Lloyd at the High Court in Rivers State recently. Photo; Nwankpa Chijioke

The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice had written the court to inform it that the police did not send the case file to his office.

Justice Nyordee said the court was handicapped in the matter as the police was not willing to prosecute the case and cited the relevant section of the constitution to support the court’s decision.

NAN further recalls that the matter had suffered several adjournments due to the police “inability’’ to make the case file available to the attorney-general.

Mr Beluolisa Nwaofor (SAN), counsel to the accused person, told reporters that “my client is free as far as this matter is concerned.

“You will recall that the attorney-general and commissioner for justice had written the court to inform it that the police did not send the case file to his office’’, Nwaofor said.