By Chinwe Onwosi
Three suspected hoodlums were on Monday arraigned and remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, for the alleged killings of two police officers and burning down police stations in Ebonyi state
The suspects; Ifeanyi Nwosu, 22; Ikechukwu Nwosu, 18; and Edwin Ebubechi, 19 were remanded by a Magistrate Court, sitting in Abakaliki, the state capital.
They were alleged to have killed Inspector Egwu Omini and PC Paul Akpu, both males, by gunning them down, at the Central Police Station, Abakaliki metropolis.
They were equally accused of allegedly setting the Police station on fire, after allegedly killing the two officers and thereafter, looted their belongings at the station.
The suspects were arraigned on four counts charges bordering on felony, murder, arson and armed robbery, before the Magistrate Court.
The Voice gathered that about five other suspects whose names are yet to be identified, were equally arraigned and remanded for allegedly burning down police stations and other offences, in the state.
It was learnt that the suspects looted one motorcycle, generator, Plasma TV and other valuables, belongings of occupants of a building located close to the burnt police station.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Mbam, told the court that offence was punishable under sections 324, 319(1), 443(a) and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
The charge reads in part, “That you Ifeanyi Nwosu ‘m’, Ikechukwu Nwosu ‘m’, Edwin Ebubechi ‘m’ and others now at large, on the 26th day of October, 2020, at the Central Police Station Headquarters, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit; murder and arson and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Ifeanyi Nwosu ‘m’, Ikechukwu Nwosu ‘m’, Edwin Ebubechi ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date and place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully murdered Inspector Egwu Omini ‘m’ and PC Paul Akpu ‘m’ by shooting them to death and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Ifeanyi Nwosu ‘m’, Ikechukwu Nwosu ‘m’, Edwin Ebubechi ‘m’and others now at large on the same date and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District did unlawfully set the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, ablaze and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 443(a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
The Defence Counsel, Chike Obi (Esq), did not apply for the bail of his clients. He rather requested that the court should transfer the case file to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the state for necessary legal action.
Consequently, the Prosecuting Counsel, led by Mbam accepted the Defense Counsel’s request that the suspects’ case file should be transferred to the DPP, but urged the court to remand the suspects pending when the DPP’s advice will reach it.
In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs B. I. Chukwu, directed that the suspects be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, and their case file transferred to the DPP, for necessary decision.
The case was adjourned till November 26, 2020, for report of compliance.
