A 50-year-old murder suspect, Bethlehem Nwanlia, has died after reportedly collapsing shortly after appearing before the Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa.
Nwanlia was standing trial on Tuesday alongside two other defendants over allegations of conspiracy, kidnapping and the murder of three people in Kalaba community, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
He reportedly collapsed at Court 11 shortly after Justice Amadise Michael Ekadi adjourned the case for judgment on October 27, 2026.
Nwanlia was said to have complained of chest pain before suddenly collapsing in the court’s holding area.
Correctional officers, police personnel and lawyers reportedly rushed to assist him and attempted to revive him before medical personnel were summoned.
He was later taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His remains were subsequently deposited at the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.
Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Bayelsa State Judiciary, Mr Enoch Okunobo, said Nwanlia had regularly appeared before the court in connection with the criminal case.
“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.
Nwanlia and the two other defendants had been standing trial over the alleged killing of three people in Kalaba community in 2022.
However, the allegations against the defendants had yet to be determined by the court before Nwanlia’s death.
The Bayelsa State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, said, “I am not aware of the incident. I will make inquiries and revert.
As of the time of filing this report, the police spokesperson had not responded to further inquiries.