PORT HARCOURT – The Rivers State High Court on Monday resumed the trial of 12 suspects charged with the murder of Inspector Christiana Erekere, who was allegedly killed during a stop-and-search operation in April 2023.
The first defendant, Miss Joy Uwheraka, opened her defence, telling the court she visited the Taaba Police Station to retrieve a driver’s license confiscated during the operation. Uwheraka claimed she encountered the late inspector recording the incident on her phone and alleged that Erekere struck her with the device during a confrontation.
Uwheraka further testified that she was arrested a week later while working at a church in Delta State. She also alleged that some of the statements she made during police interrogation were made under duress—a claim the prosecution, led by Police Prosecutor Celestine Dickson, contested.
Justice Augusta Chukwu adjourned the trial to June 3, 2025, for continued defence by additional witnesses. Inspector Erekere was reportedly killed on April 25, 2023, at the Taaba Police Division in Khana Local Government Area.
