Justice Ashom takes over murder trial – TheNigerialawyer

Justice Arum Ashom of High Court 6 in Plateau State has been
assigned to continue with the murder trial of the former Chief of
Administration, Army Headquarters, late Major General Idris Alkali
(rtd) who went missing around Plateau State in September 2018 and
his remains later recovered from a well in Jos-South Local
Government Area.

Justice Daniel Longji, who was earlier assigned the case, had in
July recused himself, saying he would be retiring from the Bench at
the end of the year after 45 years of service. Justice Longji had
assured that the case would be referred to the Chief Judge to be
re-assigned.

The court under Longji had between December 2018 and February
2019 granted bail to 27 suspects standing trial for various
offences related to the murder of the late Army General. The
suspects were paraded on a five count charge of criminal
conspiracy, culpable homicide, failure to give information to
security agents, unlawful assembly for the purpose of committing an
offence, and resisting the search for the late General. The court
had warned that the suspects must not travel out of the country
without the court’s discretions and must come to court regularly
and promptly throughout the trial.

However, our correspondent yesterday gathered from the court
that Justice Arum Ashom had been assigned to continue with the case
and has fixed January 29th 2020 for continuation.

Recall that General Alkali had gone missing on September 3 while
travelling from Abuja to Bauchi via Jos. His vehicle was recovered
from Dura-Du pond in Jos-South on September 29 and his remains
found on October 31 in an open well in Guchwet village of Shen
district in Jos-South LGA. He was later buried in Abuja on November
3, 2018.