FILE: Alleged serial killer, Gracious David West, in court

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The trial of accused Serial killer, Gracious David West was temporarily stalled on Friday at the State High Court Port Harcourt, due to the absence of the  lawyer to accused.

When the case was called up for hearing, Vincent Chukwu, Counsel to the accused was discovered to be absent.

Justice Adolphus Enebeli, the presiding Judge was not particularly happy that the Counsel, was not in court on Friday but said that he could not withdraw from the case.

In the past appearances, Chukwu had represented  the alleged serial killer. At one of such appearances, he reminded the court that the sum of N60,000.00 belonging to his client was taken by the police at time he was arrested.

He had told the court his client would need the money prompting Justice Enebeli to order the prosecuting counsel, Chidi Ekeh, to reach out to Police to provide the N60,000.

Gracious David West is standing trial for the alleged murder of women in hotels in Port-Harcourt and other cities in Nigeria, according to nine counts charges filed against him by the Police.

He initially pleaded guilty to all the charges, but later changed his plea to not guilty.

A witness who testified against David West said he took the belongings of his victims after killing them.

Police Sergeant Ogbomudia Emegbokuro, a prosecution Officer, told the court that the alleged serial killer took the belongings of his victims such as phones, handbags, jewelry and cash.

He said the accused serial killer used kitchen knife to threaten his victims making them disclose their passwords with which he withdrew money from their accounts after killing them.

He stated these when he gave findings from investigation conducted by Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

He said Gracious David West was interrogated by the Commissioner of Police who had referred the case to SARS for further investigation.

Counsel for the second accused, Nimi ThankGod being prosecuted on one one count charge of misconduct with corpse was however present in court on Friday.

She was accused of dumping the body of one of the victims of the serial killer in a dumpsite.

She had moved the body out of Torox hotel, where the victim was killed.

But she pleaded not guilty when the charge of misconduct with corpse was read to her and has been out on bail.

Presiding judge, Justice Enebeli, adjourned the case to 24 February with the expectation that the alleged serial killer’s lawyer will be in Court in adjourned date.