The ongoing rape trial of
Chief Richard Kpodo, a former Security Adviser to Ex-Governor Timipre Sylva was
halted on Wednesday as the accused sought transfer of the case to another
judge.
.
Although the accused defiance
team was slated to open defense on Wednesday, state prosecutor Andrew Arthur
Esq informed the court that there is a pending application by the accused to
have the case tried by another judge.
The trial judge, Justice E Eradiri in a reaction to the
development ruled that the case is adjourned indefinitely to await the decision
of the Chief Judge of Bayelsa, Justice Kate Abiri.
“The case is adjourned sine die to await the decision of the
Chief Judge on the application before
her,” Eradiri said.
The victim had alongside three witnesses testified before the
judge and cross examined by defense counsel Mr Julious Iyekoroghe before the
prosecution team closed its case.
It would be recalled that Kpodo, was on July 31, 2018 arranged
for alleged rape at High Court 7 after being earlier arraigned before a
margistrates court in Yenagoa.
Kpodo was charged on two counts
of unlawful detention and rape of the victim, a 26 year old female cashier at
the hotel run by the accused.
The victim, a 26 year old , had
earlier testified alongside her Uncle and a medical doctor who examined her on
June 9 after she was allegedly raped the previous day.
Kpodo who was denied bail by the trial judge would remain in
prison custody pending the reassignment of the case to another judge by the
Chief Judge of Bayelsa
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