The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arraigned the gun-wielding pastor of the House on the Rock Church, Abuja Uche Aigbe, on charges of alleged unlawful possession of a firearm.
OsunDaily News, however, gathered that the trial was stalled on Tuesday in Abuja due to the absence of his counsel in Court.
The counsel, Uche Uzukwu, could not appear in court due to what he claimed as other engagements before an Election Petition Tribunal.
At the resumed trial, Magistrate Abdulaziz Ismail drew the court’s attention to a letter by Uzukwu seeking adjournment of the trial at his instance.
Magistrate Ismail noted that the adjournment was at the instance of the defence counsel, whom he said was absent from court due to a matter he had at an election tribunal.
He adjourned the case in the interest of justice until May 2 for the continuation of trial.
The police had charged Uche Aigbe, Promise Ukachukwu, and Olakunle Ogunleye with
criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of prohibited firearms, inciting disturbance, and criminal intimidation, which they pleaded not guilty to.
The Police alleged that the defendants, all of House on the Rock Church, Wuye, Abuja, conspired with illegal possession of an AK47 rifle on February 12, 2023.
The prosecution counsel, Assistant Police Commissioner, James Idachaba, had informed the court that the defendants got the firearm from Inspector Musa Audu, attached to Wuye Division, posted on guard duty at the said Church.
He added that the defendants used the firearm to illustrate while preaching a sermon about faith in the Church.
The prosecution counsel alleged that the defendants made inciting and intimidating statements to the church congregation that could cause alarm and breach of peace.
The offense, he said, is punishable under Section III of the Firearms Act CAP F28, LFN 2004, and contravened Sections 97, 114, and 397 of the Penal Code.
