The Bayelsa State Government has assumed control of the prosecution of suspects accused in the killing of estate agent Richard Ekpebu, as legal proceedings begin in Yenagoa.
Findings show that the Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice has formally taken over the case from the police, marking a significant step in the pursuit of justice for the 42-year-old real estate practitioner whose death sparked public outrage across the state.
Senior Litigation Officers within the Ministry confirmed that the Department of Public Prosecution had earlier directed the police to forward the case file for review and prosecution. The directive was issued last year following the conclusion of investigations by the Police tactical unit, Operation Puff Adder.
The suspects were arrested in 2025 after what authorities described as a painstaking investigation spanning Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa. The operation was led by CSP Chris Nwaogbo.
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The Director of Public Prosecution, Barrister Peretimi Judith Peterside, is said to be reviewing the extensive case file submitted by the State Police Command. Security sources indicate that the volume of evidence gathered is substantial and may shape the specific charges to be filed in court.
Those expected to face prosecution include the alleged prime suspect, 40-year-old George Idumange; his girlfriend, 23-year-old Henry Victory Bernard; a Correctional Centre warden identified as Ekiamene Amaoniye Alex, also known as Cash Money; 34-year-old Ibo Imaremi Gold, alias Police; and 35-year-old Henry Igwe.
While the formal charges have yet to be publicly disclosed, sources close to the matter suggest that the accused persons may face counts ranging from conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit murder, murder, conspiracy to obtain money under false pretence, conspiracy to destroy evidence, destruction of evidence, and illegal possession of firearms. The extent of each suspect’s involvement will determine the final charges filed.
The case first drew widespread attention in September 2025 when the Bayelsa State Police Command paraded George Idumange as a suspect in the killing of Ekpebu.
Investigators alleged that the victim was murdered over a land transaction dispute. His body was reportedly dumped in a bush along the New Otuoke Road near Bayelsa Palm on July 24, 2025.
In a dramatic twist during the investigation, operatives of Operation Puff Adder, working alongside officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service in Festac Town, Lagos, rejected a N4 million bribe allegedly offered by Idumange in an attempt to avoid being handed over to the police. Authorities further disclosed that he later offered N3 million to police investigators to delete certain files from his mobile phone.
The state government’s decision to take over the prosecution is seen as a strong signal of its commitment to ensuring that those responsible for the killing of Richard Ekpebu are brought before the law. Observers say the outcome of the case will test the resolve of the justice system in handling high-profile criminal matters in Bayelsa.
As proceedings continue in Yenagoa, attention now turns to the formal arraignment of the suspects and the presentation of evidence that prosecutors believe will secure convictions.
