File: Police station
By Peter Okutu
Abakaliki-A Magistrate Court sitting in Abakaliki, Monday remanded three suspects for allegedly killing two Policemen (both males) and burning down a police station in the state.
The suspects, Ifeanyi Nwosu, 22; Ikechukwu Nwosu, 18; and Edwin Ebubechi, 19, were alledged to have shot and killed Inspector Egwu Omini and PC Paul Akpu at the Central Police Station, Abakaliki.
The suspects were alledged to have set the Police station on fire, after killing the two officers and looted their belongings during the #EndSARS protest in the State.
Vanguard gathered that the suspects committed the offence at the Central Police Station of Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state on October 26, 2020.
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Vanguard further reports that five suspects, had been arraigned and remanded for alledgedly burning down police stations and other offences, in the state.
The suspects were said to have also stolen one motorcycle, generator, Plasma TV and other valaubles, belongings of occupants of a building located close to the burnt police station.
The suspects were arraigned on a four count charge of felony, murder, arson and armed robbery.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Mbam, told the court that offence was punishable under sections 324, 319(1), 443(a) and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
The charge read in part: “That you Ifeanyi Nwosu ‘m’, Ikechukwu Nwosu ‘m’, Edwin Ebubechi ‘m’ and others now at large, on the 26th day of October, 2020, at the Central Police Station Headquarters, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit; murder and arson and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Ifeanyi Nwosu ‘m’, Ikechukwu Nwosu ‘m’, Edwin Ebubechi ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date and place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully murdered Inspector Egwu Omini ‘m’ and PC Paul Akpu ‘m’ by shooting them to death and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Ifeanyi Nwosu ‘m’, Ikechukwu Nwosu ‘m’, Edwin Ebubechi ‘m’and others now at large on the same date and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District did unlawfully set the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, ablaze and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 443(a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
The Defense Counsel, Chike Obi (Esq), did not apply for the bail of his clients. He rather requested that the court should transfer the case file to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, in the state for further judicial action.
The Prosecuting Counsel led by Mbam who accepted the Defense Counsel’s request that the suspects’ case file be transferred to the DPP urged the court to remand the suspects pending the advice of DPP.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs B. I. Chukwu, directed that the suspects be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki while their case file be transferred to the DPP, for necessary decision.
The case was adjourned till November 26, 2020. Ends
