Gen Alkali: Justice Ashom takes over murder trial

Justice Arum Ashom of High Court 6 in Plateau State has been assigned to continue with the murder trial of the former Chief of Administration, Army Headquarters, late Major General Idris Alkali (rtd) who went missing around Plateau State in September 2018 and his remains later recovered from a well in Jos-South Local Government Area.

Justice Daniel Longji, who was earlier assigned the case, had in July recused himself, saying he would be retiring from the Bench at the end of the year after 45 years of service. Justice Longji had assured that the case would be referred to the Chief Judge to be re-assigned.

The court under Longji had between December 2018 and February 2019 granted bail to 27 suspects standing trial for various offences related to the murder of the late Army General. The suspects were paraded on a five count charge of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, failure to give information to security agents, unlawful assembly for the purpose of committing an offence, and resisting the search for the late General. The court had warned that the suspects must not travel out of the country without the court’s discretions and must come to court regularly and promptly throughout the trial.

However, our correspondent yesterday gathered from the court that Justice Arum Ashom had been assigned to continue with the case and has fixed January 29th 2020 for continuation.

Recall that General Alkali had gone missing on September 3 while travelling from Abuja to Bauchi via Jos. His vehicle was recovered from Dura-Du pond in Jos-South on September 29 and his remains found on October 31 in an open well in Guchwet village of Shen district in Jos-South LGA. He was later buried in Abuja on November 3, 2018.