Nigeria: Court Forecloses Denfendant's Counsel in Ogege Murder Trial for Disobedience of Court Orders

13 November 2025
Vanguard (Lagos)

A Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku has foreclosed the counsel to Macaulay Oghenemaro, 1st defendant in the murder trial of the late Miss Elozino Ogege, a 300-level Mass Communication student of Delta State University, Abraka, Mr. S. Okehielem, has been foreclosed from filing any written address in the matter for disobedience of the court's orders.

Oghenemaro, Nwosisi Uche, and Enaike Onoriode have been standing trial since 2019, on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, and murder, in connection with the killing of Miss Ogege.

At yesterday's proceedings, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, opposed a letter of adjournment by Mr. Okehielem.

Erebe informed the court that while counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants had duly filed their final written addresses, the 1st defendant's counsel had persistently failed to comply with the court's earlier directives of June 25, 2025, and October 29, 2025, to file and exchange addresses.

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He urged the court to invoke Section 332(4)(c) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Delta State 2022 to foreclose the 1st defendant's counsel from filing any address, and direct the defendant to engage new counsel or have one appointed from the Office of the Public Defender.

In its ruling, the court agreed with the prosecution, holding that Mr. Okehielem had been "mostly responsible for the delays in the matter" and that his actions showed a "blatant disregard for the orders of the court."

The court noted that the letter seeking adjournment bore a date for a day when the case was not fixed and described it as "a gross affront on the sanctity of the court."

Consequently, the court foreclosed Mr. Okehielem from filing any written address and directed the 1st defendant to engage another counsel to file his address, failing which a counsel from the Office of the Public Defender will be appointed to represent him.

The case was adjourned to November 26, 2025, for the adoption of final written addresses.

Read the original article on Vanguard.

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