Herbalist and Cult Members Arraigned in Court for Allegedly Killing Pastor

Cultists

Court docks two for beating septuagenarian to coma in Ondo

Six men, including a herbalist, who were alleged to be Badoo cult members, were yesterday charged with smashing the heads of a pastor and other family members with a grinding stone at an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court.The accused are Chibuzor Igwe, 19; Omotayo Onamoyegun, 25; Samuel Ameze, 38 and Gift Ameze, 35. Others are Uche Igwe, 23; and Fatai Adebayo, a.k.a Aleshe, 34; a herbalist.

The trial of the accused, who are facing a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder and stealing, started at 3p.m. and ended at 4:05p.m.Chibuzo and his brother, Igwe pleaded guilty to the charge of murder brought against them, while the other accused entered a ‘not guilty’ plea.The Magistrate, Mrs. Bola Folarin-Williams, remanded them at Ikoyi Prisons pending legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). She adjourned the case until March 8.

Mr. Emmanuel Eze, a lawyer from the State Criminal and Investigative Intelligence Department, Panti, said the accused committed the offences on November 26, 2017 at Ofin area and also at No. 12, Alajo Close, Abule Oshorun, Ibeshe in Ikorodu. He alleged that the accused had broken into the apartment of the deceased, Pastor Victor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ikorodu, and used a stone to smash his head while he was asleep. He told the court that the accused gained entry through the window and made away with his phone, valued at N13,000.

The accused also entered the premises of the Yekinis and used a grinding stone to smash the heads of Sakiru, Kehinde and Salad Yekini causing them grievous harm. Eze said the accused also went away with a DVD player and a T-shirt, all valued at N8,000 belonging to the family members. The offences contravened Sections 223, 245, 280 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

In another development, 72-year-old retired soldier, Pa. Ilesanmi Adebayo, was beaten to a pulp in Akure, Ondo State capital by his relatives, Ologunmeta Akinwumi and Folusho Falodun over family inheritance. Akinwumi (63) and Falodun (53) were arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court, Oke Eda Akure on two count charges of conspiracy and attempted murder of the victim, who has been in a coma for the past two weeks.

The Guardian gathered that the duos are ardent followers of a famous Akure thug, but were arrested last week after beating up the septuagenarian alongside members of their gang, who are still at large.

Beating and hitting the old man with stick on the head, they allegedly abandoned him on the ground after he had slumped and went to coma. According to eyewitnesses; it took the timely intervention of the old soldier’s son and his brother who rushed him for urgent medical attention.

“Pa. Adebayo was rejected by both the state Specialist Hospital in Akure and the Gani Fawehinmi Diagnostic Centre in Ondo, before he was referred to the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, Ile Ife. The old man has been in comma since January 26 when the incident occurred,” one of the sources, who pleaded anonymity, said.

The Chief Magistrate, Victoria Bob-Manuel, in her ruling, ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody till the adjourned date on February 21. She said the court would take application for bail on the adjourned date. (Source: guardian.ng).