Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has struck out a case of murder involving a female National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member in the state, Ms Chidinma Paschaline Odume.

Odume was standing trial before Justice Bassey Nkanang over the gruesome murder of a 26-year man in Uyo, Akwaowo Japheth.

The incident occured on the 10th of January, 2021 along Abak Road, Uyo, the state capital following a misunderstanding between the deceased and Chidinma Odume.

It could be recalled that Ms Odume was said to have killed Akwaowo in cold blood during an altercation between them on January 10, 2022, at the deceased’s Abak Road residence in Uyo.

However, police preliminary investigations, according to the Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, revealed that the “deceased (Akwaowo) took the accused (Ms Odume) to his house and while in the house, Akwaowo Japhet in a bid to rape her, picked up a machete and attempted to kill her.

Odume said the accused dispossessed him of the knife and used same on him, which led to his death.”

It was gathered that the family of the deceased never showed up in the court at least once despite several calls to them to come for their son’s death.

It was further gathered that the deceased had several pending records of rape cases against him.

In his ruling on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, Justice Bassey Nkanang, struck out the case and discharged the accused person following the Nolle Prosequi (formal notice of discontinuation of the prosecution without a conviction) entered by the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice.

The state in the Nolle Prosequi which was a formal notice of discontinuation of the prosecution without a conviction was dated 10th day of January, 2022.

The Court noted that the action was pursuant to section 211 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 71 of the Criminal Code Procedure Law of Akwa Ibom State.