Court remands two undergraduates over alleged armed robbery, murder of Benue varsity student
A Makurdi Magistrate’s Court, on Monday, March 13, 2023, remanded two students, Ugosor Japhet and Gwebe Ageba, over alleged culpable homicide and armed robbery.
The suspects were arrested for allegedly killing a student of the Benue State University, Erkaa Naomi Dooshima.
The Magistrate, Mrs Erdoo Ter, did not take the plea of the defendants for lack 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, 2023, 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, Makurdi on February 21, 2023.
Ishaya said that Ugosor Japhet had fraudulently received from the complainant’s sister, one Naomi Erkaa, the sum of N150,000 as advance payment for house rent.
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.
He 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 her of her cosmetic bag, Itel handset and Iphone, with values yet unknown.
“During police investigation, the defendants were arrested and confessed to committing the crime,” she said.
Ter said that investigation into the matter was still ongoing and prayed the court for adjournment of the case till another day for mention.
According to her, the offences contravene 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.
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