By Dorathy Aninge, Makurdi.
A Magistrate’s Court in Makurdi on Monday remanded two students, Ugosor Japhet and Gwebe Ageba, over alleged murder and armed robbery.
The Magistrate, Mrs Erdoo Ter, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.
She ordered the defendants to be remanded in Makurdi Correctional Centre, while investigations into their offences continued.
Ter, thereafter, adjourned the case till April 12 for further mention.
The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Regina Ishaya, told the court that the case was reported by one Erkaa Reuben, of Logo II, Akpehe, Makurdi, at ‘E’ Divisional Police Station in Makurdi on Feb. 21.
Ishaya said that Ugosor Japhet had fraudulently received from the complainant’s sister, Naomi Erkaa, the sum of N150,000 as advance payment for house rental.
She said that the money was paid into the defendant’s Access Bank account number: 0765804017.
The police prosecutor further stated that upon receipt of the money, the defendant connived with the second defendant and deceitfully lured the victim to his house, under the pretext of giving her the keys to the apartment.
She added that when the victim got to the first defendant’s house, both defendants attacked her with a cutlass and inflicted deep cuts on her hands, neck and head, which caused her to bleed to death.
“The defendants then secretly moved the corpse of the deceased, striped her naked, hid her under a heap of yam tendrils and disposed of hers cosmetic bag, Itel handset and Iphone, with values yet unknown.
“During police investigation, the defendants were arrested and they confessed to committing the crime,” she said.
Ishaya said that investigation into the matter was still ongoing and urged the court to adjourn the case to another day for mention.
The police prosecutor said that the offences contravened Section 1(3) of Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, Sections 97 and 222 of the Penal Code, Law of Benue State, 2004 and Section 1(1)(2)(a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, 2004.
