A 50-year-old murder suspect, Bethlehem Nwanlia, has died after collapsing shortly after appearing before the Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa.
Nwanlia was standing trial alongside two other defendants in a case involving alleged conspiracy, kidnapping and the murder of three people in Kalaba community, Yenagoa Local Government Area.
He reportedly complained of chest pain before suddenly collapsing in the court’s holding area on Tuesday, shortly after Justice Amadise Michael Ekadi adjourned judgment in the case until October 27, 2026.
Correctional officers, police personnel and lawyers at the court reportedly attempted to assist him before medical personnel were called.
Nwanlia 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.
The Public Relations Officer of the Bayelsa State Judiciary, Enoch Okunobo, confirmed the death, describing Nwanlia as a regular attendee at the court in connection with the criminal proceedings.
“He was a murder suspect who had been coming to court. His corpse has been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre,” Okunobo said.
The incident reportedly caused a commotion among court officials, lawyers, security personnel and others at the premises.
Sources said Nwanlia had experienced some health challenges while in custody, but there was no official confirmation linking those conditions to his death.
The Bayelsa State Police Command said it was yet to receive information about the incident.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Musa Mohammed, said he was unaware of the death when contacted but promised to make inquiries.
As of the time of filing, no further details had been provided by the police on the circumstances surrounding Nwanlia’s death.
The allegations against the defendants had also not been determined by the court before Nwanlia died.
His immediate cause of death remains unknown, pending medical confirmation.
