The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Isaac Ajim

  • Court remands farmer for setting 34 houses ablaze

    Court remands farmer for setting 34 houses ablaze

    A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday ordered the remand of a 65-year-old farmer, Kyeruwa Kpela, in prison for alleged criminal conspiracy and setting 34 houses ablaze

    Kpela, of Gwer-West Local Government Area of Benue, was charged with criminal conspiracy, mischief by fire and inciting disturbance.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Isaac Ajim, who did not take plea of the accused, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison.

    Ajim also transferred the case to Magistrates’ Court 3 for further mention.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Ato, had told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Naka on July 3 to the State CID, Makurdi.

    He said that one Cyprian Nyior of Mbachohon, Gwer-West reported the case at the Naka Police Station on June 29.

    Ato said Nyior told the police that one Orshoja Amulu with many others, including the defendant, armed with guns and other dangerous weapons attacked the families of Tse Ake and Tse-Nyior.

    The prosecutor said the complainant stated that the attackers set 34 thatched houses with property worth N5million belonging to the two families ablaze.

    He further informed the court that the action of the accused could cause the breach of public peace in the local government area.

    Prosecutor said the accused was arrested during police investigation, while the gang leader, Amulu and many others were still at large.

    He said the offences contravened Sections 97, 338 and 116 of the Penal Code of Benue, 2004.

    Ato told the court that investigation was ongoing and applied for another date for further mention.

  • Wanted criminal’s wife in court for aiding, abetting crime

    Wanted criminal’s wife in court for aiding, abetting crime

    The Benue Police Command on Wednesday arraigned Mrs. Queen Akwaza, wife of a wanted criminal suspect, Terwase Akwaza, over alleged refusal to disclose her husband’s whereabouts.

    Mrs. Akwaza, who appeared before a Makurdi Chief Magistrate’s Court, was charged with criminal conspiracy, screening of armed robbery and kidnapping suspects, and acts of terrorism.

    The offences, according to the prosecutor, Mr Hyacinth Gbakor, are punishable under sections 1(2)(b), 6(a)(b)(c) of the robbery and firearms acts, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and section 1(2) of Terrorism (prevention)(Amendment) Act, 2013.

    Gbakor told the court that on June 15, 2017 a team of Police Joint Task Force Patrol, led by Mr Simon Majinga,  arrested eight persons, who were arraigned in the same court, on July 7, for the same crimes.

    He said that Mrs. Akwaza was among the suspects, but was still at large, at the time of that arrest.

    “The team reported that the suspects were carrying out acts of kidnapping, hostage taking and terrorism. It said that the criminals, led by Akwaza, his wife, Queen, and one Teryima Ihimbe, operated around Katsina-Ala, Kwande, Ukum and Vandeikya areas of Benue.

    According to the prosecution, during police investigation, it was also discovered that Mrs. Akwaza was the brain behind the kidnappings and other nefarious acts spearheaded by Zendedoo Tsekaa, one of the suspects arraigned earlier.

    Gbakor said that Mrs. Akwaza was arrested on July 7, 2017 and she confessed to the crimes.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that though no plea was taken for want of jurisdiction, the accused person, in a statement to the police, claimed that her husband used charm on her, which hypnotised her into marrying him.

    She claimed that her husband had touched her on the buttocks in the market and she followed him immediately afterwards.

    “Immediately after that ‘touch’, I followed him and have been living with him since then.

    “I am his 33rd wife; any woman he touches, ends up with him,” she stated.

    The suspect claimed that the only child from the union, a girl, was killed and buried by the husband.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Isaac Ajim, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the matter to Aug. 8, for further mention.

    Ajim also ordered the prison authority to give her a comprehensive medical check up.

  • Two docked for setting woman ablaze

    Two docked for setting woman ablaze

    Two persons, Aondowase Ishar and Eric Kumaga, were on Friday remanded in prison custody for allegedly conspiring and setting a woman on fire.

    The accused persons were charged before the Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court for alleged criminal conspiracy, attempted culpable homicide and mischief.

    The offences are punishable under Sections 97, 230 and Exhibit 337 of the Penal Code of Benue State, 2004.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt Godwin Ato, told court that one Joseph Akume, representing the Akume family of Tse-Abagher Village, Lumbuu Ward in the Ukum Local Government Area reported the matter at the Ukum Police Station on May 29.

    Akume told police that the accused persons with others now at large invaded Akume family farms and uprooted yams.

    He said that on May 30, the accused persons and others attacked the Akume family and burnt houses, yams in barns, bags of groundnut and guinea corn, all valued at N15 million.

    The prosecutor also stated that the accused also set a woman, Vumbe Vam, ablaze with intent to kill her and that this resulted to severe injuries on the woman.

    He said that the accused persons were arrested during police investigation.

    The plea of the accused for bail was not taken.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Isaac Ajim, adjourned the matter until Aug. 9.

  • Man in court over N300,000 fraud

    Man in court over N300,000 fraud

    A 28-year-old man, Abraham Ehada, on Monday appeared before a Makurdi Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly conspiring with his friend to defraud a man of the sum of N300,000.

    Ehada was charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and advanced fee fraud, punishable under sections 97 and 324 of the penal code laws of Benue, 2004, and section 1(3) of the advanced fee fraud and other fraud-related offences act, 2006.

    Prosecuting officer, Mr Hyacinth Gbakor, told the court that one Babangida Umar of Rice Mill, Wadata, Makurdi had reported the matter on May 15, at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi.

    Gbakor quoted Umar as stating that sometime in October 2016, the accused person and his friend, one Sunday Adams, a resident of Awe Street, Makurdi conspired and told him that they had a Ford Bus Galaxy for sale at the rate of N900,000.

    “Umar said that the duo collected N300,000 as deposit, and promised to bring the bus to him and collect the balance of N600,000.

    “He further stated that after the accused and his friend collected the N300,000 deposit from him, they disappeared to an unknown destination,” the prosecution told the court.

    He added that the accused person, who had been at large, was arrested during police investigation for committing the offences, while Adams was earlier arrested and charged before the same court.

    The accused person, however, denied committing the offences and the prosecution asked for adjournment to enable it complete investigation.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Isaac Ajim, granted bail to the accused person in the sum of N30,000 and two sureties in the same amount, and adjourned the matter till June 23, 2017 for further mention.