The Federal High Court in Abuja has set July 14, 2025, as the new date to continue the high-profile trial of 15 individuals accused of unlawfully invading the home of retired Supreme Court Justice Mary Peter-Odili.
Presided over by Justice Ekerete Akpan, the latest court session saw the prosecution continue its effort to prove the case against the accused, who face 18-count charges ranging from criminal conspiracy and forgery to unlawful invasion. The lead prosecutor, Mr. J.I. Kpandeh called a key witness, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Solomon Gotang, to provide further testimony.
During the proceedings, Mr. Kpandeh sought to tender a set of official correspondences between the police and the Secretary of the Police Force. While the initial letter was admitted without objection, the defense raised serious concerns over the admissibility of the reply, arguing that it did not match the version previously identified by the witness. Lead counsel for the first defendant, Mr. Edeh Chukwuebuka, noted discrepancies in the documents and challenged their authenticity.
In response, the prosecution chose to withdraw the reply letter, admitting it was not yet properly certified, and promised to present a duly verified version at the next hearing. Mr. Kpandeh stressed the importance of the document, calling it vital to the prosecution’s argument.
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However, another document, an investigative analysis outlining each suspect’s role in the alleged crime, was introduced and accepted into evidence without objection. The witness confirmed the document’s validity, pointing out distinct features such as official logos and diagrams that visually traced the involvement of each defendant.
Following this, the prosecution asked for an adjournment to allow the defense ample time to cross-examine the witness. Justice Akpan granted the request and scheduled the continuation of the trial for July 14.
The accused individuals, identified by both legal names and nicknames such as Ola Ojo and Herbalist, have all entered not-guilty pleas. They were previously granted bail set at ₦5 million each, with two sureties required per defendant.
Originally handled by Justice Nkeonye Maha, the case was reassigned to Justice Akpan following Justice Maha’s transfer to another judicial division. The trial remains a closely watched legal battle, drawing national attention due to its high stakes and the profile of the victim, a former Supreme Court justice.
