A Makurdi Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Mrs Erdoo Ter has remanded two students, Ugosor Japhet and Gwebe Ageba, over alleged culpable homicide and armed robbery in Benue state.
The suspects were on Monday remanded in Makurdi Correctional Centre by the order of the Magistrate, who did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.
While investigations into their offences continue, Magistrate Ter, adjourned the case till April 12 for further mention.
Regina Ishaya, the police prosecutor, told the court that on Feburary 21, one Erkaa Reuben, of Logo II, Akpehe, Makurdi, reported that case at ‘E’ Divisional police station, Makurdi.
She futher explained that Ugosor Japhet had fraudulently received from Naomi Erkaa, the complainant’s sister, the sum of N150,000 as an advance payment for house rent.
The police prosecutor said the money was paid into the first defendant’s bank account and 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.
According to her, 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.
She said: “The defendants then secretly moved the corpse of the deceased, stripped her naked, hid her under a heap of yam tendrils and disposed her of her cosmetic bag, Itel handset and iPhone, with values yet to be known.
“During the police investigation, the defendants were arrested and confessed to committing the crime.”
The offences contravene Section 1(3) of the 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.
