A Lagos State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday ordered the remand of four suspects arraigned for kidnapping the Oniba of Iba community in Lagos State, Oba Goriola Oseni.
The defendants, Duba Furejo, Ododomo Isaiah, Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh, were also charged with conspiracy, murder and armed robbery.
While Furejo pleaded guilty to the charges, Fresh and Anthony claimed they know nothing about them adding that they only asked one of their friends for help and they were given N100,000.
Anthony said “We know nothing about the kidnapping, we called our friend for help in other to pay our children school fees and we were given the sum of N100,000 each.
But Furejo, an Ijaw indigene told the magistrate that he was among the gang members who kidnapped the monarch, adding that there were nine members left.
He said “I am an Ijaw am and I am guilty, but there are nine other members of the gang who have yet to be arrested. We were given N1.2m as ransom.”
Applying for the remand of the defendants, the Head of Legal Department of Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Eno-Edor-Aidenojia, pleaded that the suspects should be kept in prison custody pending formal filing at the high court.
He said, “These four men were part of those who kidnapped the Oniba of Iba on July 16. His palace was invaded and two persons were killed.
“We have concluded investigation and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions has gone through the file and they have recommended that they be charged with conspiracy, murder, armed robbery and kidnapping
“We are here today to formally arraign them so that we can have them lawfully detained in prison custody pending when they will be charged at the state high court, which will be soonest.”
Adjourning till November 10, 2016, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. B.O. Osunsanmi, ordered that the defendants be kept in the custody without option of bail.
Punch
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