Benue woman leads robbery operation with local pistol, knife

A woman in Benue State, Mary Jeremiah, has been arraigned for robbing a provision store with a locally-made pistol and knife.

She has been remanded in prison on the order of a magistrates’ court in Makurdi.

The police charged Jeremiah, who lives in Ofoke Ojope, Apa Local Government Area of Benue, with criminal conspiracy and robbery.

Magistrate Erdoo Ter, who did not take the plea of Jeremiah for want of jurisdiction, ordered that she be remanded in the Makurdi Correctional Centre.

Ter then adjourned the case until October 22 for further mention. The prosecution, led by Inspector James Ewache, told the court the case was reported at the police station in Ugbokpo by the complainant, James Sunday of Efu-Ugbokpo, Apa LGA on August 30.

He alleged that Mary Jeremiah, who pretended to be a customer, entered the complainant’s store with two others with a locally-made pistol and knife. Ewache alleged that Jeremiah robbed him of N373,755 and an Infinix IV cell phone, worth N69,000.

The prosecution, however, said investigation into the matter had not been completed and prayed the court for an adjournment. The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 6(b) and 1(1)(2)(a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Special Provision Act 2004.

Meanwhile, a 21-year old man, Mohammed Yakubu, yesterday appeared before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly abducting a 17-year-old girl with intent to have carnal knowledge of her. The defendant is standing trial on a charge of abduction.

The prosecutor, Inspector Oriyomi Akinwale, told the court the defendant committed the offence between September 7 and September 8 at Zone 9, Olorunda area of Ado-Ekiti. Akinwale alleged that the defendant abducted a 17-year-old girl with the intent to have sex with her.

He said the offence contravened Section 225 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012. The prosecutor asked the court for adjournment to enable him study the case file and present his witnesses.

The defendant pleaded not guilty. His counsel, Abiola Gboyega, urged the court to grant him bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Adefumike Anoma, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. She adjourned the case till October 30 for hearing.  (The Guardian)