Six men, including a herbalist, who were alleged to be “Badoo” cult members, were on Wednesday arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court sitting in Lagos State for smashing the head of a pastor and other family members with a grinding stone.
The accused include: Chibuzor Igwe, 19; Omotayo Onamoyegun, 25; Samuel Ameze, 38; Gift Ameze, 35; Uche Igwe, 23; Fatai Adebayo a.k.a Aleshe, 34; and a herbalist.
They are facing a 7-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, and stealing.
Chibuzo and his brother, Igwe, however, pleaded guilty to the charge of murder brought against them, while the other accused entered a ‘not guilty’ plea.
Mr. Emmanuel Eze, a lawyer from the State Criminal and Investigative Intelligence Department, Panti, had asked the court to remand all the accused persons in prison and asked that the case file be duplicated and sent to the DPP.
Eze said the accused committed the offenses on November 26, 2017, at Ofin area and also at No. 12, Alajo Close, Abule Oshorun, Ibeshe in Ikorodu.
The offences, he said contravened Sections 223, 245, 280 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
He alleged 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 Magistrate, Mrs. Bola Folarin-Williams, remanded them at Ikoyi Prisons pending legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions.
Folarin-Williams, however, adjourned the case until March 8 for mention.
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