LAGOS DECEMBER 5TH (URHOBOTODAY)-An Ikeja Magistrate court, on Monday, remanded six accused persons in Kirikiri Maximum prison for conspiracy and murder of two innocent young men (Ifechukwudi Nwanikpor, 25, and Kazeem Onayemi, 26) in Tozukame community area in Ajara, Badagry.
The case was presided over by Magistrate A.O Komolafe, who gave the order after the suspects were arraigned by a special investigation panel setup by the Lagos state commissioner of police, Umar Manko.
The accused persons are Bayo Bankole (30), Joshua Ewetan (16), Albert Bamidele Wusu (56) and Ashiribo Michael (32), all male.
As well as Babatude Okubena (60) and Agano Tomyon (50), who is also the Baale of Tozukame community area in Ajara, Badagry.
Their offence reads “That you Bayo Bankole ‘m’, Joshua Ewetan ‘m’, Albert Bamidele Wusu ‘m’,Ashiribo Michael ‘m’, and others at large, on the 21st day of July, 2013 at Tozukame community area in Ajara, Badagry, Lagos in Lagos Magisterial district, did unlawfully kill one Ifechukwudi Nwanikpor 25,m and Kazeem Onayemi 26,m by hitting their heads and all parts of their body with wood and other offensive weapons and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 221 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011.”
While the offence of the Baale, Agano Tomyon and his subject, Babatude Okubena (60) reads that they failed to use their reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of it and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 221 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011.
The Magistrate rejected the bail application brought forward by the counsels of the suspects.
Komolafe said to the counsels, “I hope you all know that it is a case of murder, so bail application will not be granted”
She order that they be remanded in the Kirikiri maximum prison.
The case was adjourned to the 28th of January for further hearing.
Telegraph has it that, as at the time of hearing, either of the two police officers, Femi Ashogbon and John Sanyon that allegedly supervised the gruesome murder of the two innocent young men, were yet to be charged to court.
Mr Onayemi, father of one of the victims. spoke to Telegraph after Monday’s hearing saying that he hopes justice will not be overruled.
He said, his wife and mother to their late son, Kazeem Onayemi is currently sick, suffering from hypertension and it is as a result of the death of their son, which she has found very difficult to cope.
“My son, if he was still alive, should be graduating on Saturday, the 7th of December 2013 from learning alumaco fittings. I really miss him and he will forever be remembered.”
On the other hand, Mr. Sam Nwanikpor, father of the other deceased, Ifechukwudi Nwanikpor (25) confirmed to Telegraph in a telephone conversation the reason for his absence in court.
He said the date of the hearing was earlier fixed for 29th of November, but did not sit because it was yet to be assigned a Magistrate, after which he left for Delta state to check on his wife who has been seriously sick.
“My wife is seriously sick, and her deteriorating health here in Lagos made me seek medical attention in Delta state, where she can be taken care of.
“Her deteriorating health is as a result of the death of our son. She still find it difficult to come over the fact that our son was unjustly murdered” he said.
Telegraph had previously reported the lynching and untimely death of the two innocent young men at around 3pm on July 21, 2013 in Ajara area of Badagry in the presence of some police officers.
Source: Today’s Telegraph