The Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice has taken over the duty to prosecute the killers of the 42-year old Estate Agent, Richard Ekpebu who was murdered at Elebele community bush in Ogbia Local Government Area of the State in 2025.
The Police, through the tactical team of the Operation Puff Adder led by CSP Chris Nwaogbo had last year arrested the suspected killers of the 42-year old estate agent following diligent and thorough investigation in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Senior litigation officers from the State Ministry of Justice confirmed to our correspondent that the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) had last year directed the police to hand over the case file for immediate study and prosecution.
TNN learnt that office of the DPP headed by Barr. Peretimi Peterside is studying the voluminous case file handed over to the justice ministry by the operation puff adder of the state police command.
It was gathered that among those expected to be prosecuted were the alleged key suspect, George Idumange, 40, his girl friend, Miss Henry Henry Bernard, 23, a Prison Warden, Ekiamene Amaoniye Alex also known as Cash Money, one 34-year old Ibo Imaremi Gold alias Police and a 35-year old, Henry Igwe.
Our correspondent gathered that the case file was handed over to the State ministry of justice under the directive of the former commissioner of police, Mr. Francis Idu who was in charge of the Bayelsa state command when the crime was committed but has now been promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), posted out of the state and replaced by CP Daniel Iyamah.
Though the charges being filed against the five accused have not been made known but the various levels of involvement of the accused will determine their charges.
Sources close to the case claimed that the accused charges may range from conspiracy to kidnapping, Armed Robbery, murder, conspiracy to obtain money under false pretence, conspiracy to destroy evidence, Illegal possession of fire arms among others.
Recall, the Bayelsa State Command of the Nigerian Police Force had in September, 2025 paraded a suspect, George Idumangi, accused of killing a 42-year-old estate agent, Richard Ekpebu, in Yenagoa.
It was gathered that Operatives of Operation Puff Adder of the Bayelsa State Police Command and Nigerian Immigration Office, Festac Town, Lagos rejected a bribe of N4 million from George Idumangi, who has been arrested for the murder of Richard Ekpebu.
Idumangi allegedly offered the N4 million bribe to immigration officers so they would not hand him over to the police, and later offered the police N3 million to delete a certain file from his phone.
Late Richard Ekpebu was allegedly murdered over a land deal and his body dumped in a bush along the New Otuoke Road, near Bayelsa Palm at Elebele on July 24, 2025.
