A Jalingo Chief Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded two pastors Abinitus Akila, 41, and Hassan Umar, 46, and 34 others for alleged theft, obstruction to lawful arrest and assault.
The accused persons were arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, assault, resistance/obstruction to lawful arrest, causing grievous hurt, disturbance of public peace and theft.
He said the offences contravened Sections 97, 102,113,171,247 and 287 of the Penal Code.
Prosecutor Fachang Bangnim told the court that on March 23 Eunice Iliya of United Methodist Church of Nigeria, Jalingo, reported that one Thomas Bakawa was assaulted by Akila and Umar.
Bangnim said that Bakawa, the newly posted pastor of the church, sustained severe injuries on his head after he was beaten by the accused persons.
The prosecutor said that Bakawa’s handset, valued at N25, 000, was stolen by the group during the incident.
He added that both Akila and Umar were under arrest when 34 other accused people stormed the state police headquarters and attempted to forcefully release them.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Counsel to the accused persons, Emmanuel Avong, applied for the bail to the accused persons.
The Chief Magistrate, Dikko Dikko, said considering the nature of the case, the counsel to the accused should file his application by a way of motion for the court consideration.
He ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody pending the filling of their motion for bail and adjourned the case to April 8 for mention. (NAN)
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