Tragedy as Murder Suspect Slumps, Dies During Trial In Court
- A 50-year-old murder suspect collapsed in the holding area of a Bayelsa State High Court shortly after proceedings ended on Tuesday
- Bethlehem Nwanlia was standing trial over alleged conspiracy, kidnapping and the killing of three people in Yenagoa in 2022
- Court officials, lawyers and security personnel attempted to revive him before a medical worker was called to the scene
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State - A murder suspect standing trial at the Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa died on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, after collapsing inside the court's holding area, just moments after a judge adjourned his case.
Bethlehem Nwanlia, 50, was in Court 11 alongside two co-defendants, facing charges of conspiracy, kidnapping and multiple murder linked to the killing of three people in the Kalaba community, Yenagoa Local Government Area, in 2022.
Source: Twitter
As reported by Vanguard, Justice Amadise Michael Ekadi had just adjourned judgment in the matter to October 27, 2026, when Nwanlia suddenly clutched his chest and fell.
Witnesses said officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service, police personnel and lawyers all tried to revive him at the scene, but none of their efforts succeeded.
A medical worker was later called to examine him, after which his body was taken to a hospital for formal confirmation of death.
Bayelsa judiciary confirms suspect's death
The Bayelsa State Judiciary's Public Relations Officer, Mr Enoch Okunobo, confirmed the incident to reporters on Tuesday evening.
"Somebody collapsed and died today. He was a murder suspect who had been coming to court. His corpse has been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC)," Okunobo said.
Reports indicated that Nwanlia had experienced health problems while in custody prior to Tuesday's incident. The cause of his death had not been officially established as of the time this report was filed.
The incident triggered panic and confusion among court staff, lawyers, security officers and other people present on the premises.
Police not yet aware
When contacted by reporters, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, said he had no knowledge of the incident but promised to look into the matter and follow up. He had not done so before this report was filed.
The allegations against Nwanlia and his two co-defendants were never determined by the court before his death.
Source: Original
Tragedy as witness slumps, dies inside Ondo court
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that tragedy struck at the premises of the Ondo state high court session in Oka, Ondo, after a witness lost his life.
The septuagenarian wanted to testify as a witness in a case involving his friend in the court when the incident occurred.
It was gathered that the elderly man hit his head on the tiles and passed a after he stood up from where he was seated.
Source: Legit.ng
