Court rejects suspected ritual killer’s plea to visit psychiatrist

Dike, who was rearrested in Jos, the Plateau State capital, after escaping from police custody, is currently standing trial for the murder of an eight-year-old girl, Chikamso Nmezuwuba. The suspect had allegedly removed some vital organs of the girl after she was killed, ostensibly for ritual purpose. Earlier, the suspect’s counsel, Lezina Amegua, had filed an application, praying the court to grant his client time to visit a psychiatric hospital for examination and treatment. Amegua said the application was based on the suspicion that his client might have a mental problem because he had been irrational in his statements. Responding to the application, the trial judge, Justice Adolphos Enebeli, maintained that he would not be swayed by the reason given by Amegua to grant the suspect access to psychiatric examination. The judge stated that records had shown that the suspect was a student of the University of Port Harcourt before he committed the crime. He, however, struck out the counsel’s application, describing it as unmeritorious and wasteful. Justice Enebeli said a person that was insane would not escape from police custody and travel to Plateau State, where he was eventually rearrested. He declared that the suspect was play-acting so as to avoid trial. The judge adjourned the case till February 8, 9 and 16, 2018 for the beginning of the trial.]]>