Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Chidi Lloyd has been discharged and acquitted of an attempted murder charge by a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Ledan Nyordee said the court is handicapped in the matter, as the Police is unwilling to prosecute the case. He also cited the relevant section of the Constitution to support the court’s decision.
Lloyd was arrested and charged with attempted murder of Mr. Michael Chinda (PDP- Obio/Akpor 11) in the state legislature after hitting Chinda on the head with a mace during a fight between supporters of Governor Rotimi Ameachi and anti-Amaechi legislators in July 2013.
Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice wrote then court earlier to state the decision of the Police not to send the case file to his office.
The case suffered several adjournments, as the Police failed on a number of occasions to avail the attorney-general of the case file.
Responding after the ruling, counsel to the accused, Mr. Beluolisa Nwaofor (SAN) praised the court, saying: “My client is free as far as this matter is concerned”.
