A 32-year-old civil servant, Ismaila Ahmed has been arraigned before a Lokoja Chief Magistrate’s Court I, for allegedly killing his brother, Iliyasu Ahmed with a charmed ring. Ahmed of Inoziomi quarters in Adavi Local Government of Kogi State was charged with criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide not punishable with death contrary to sections 97 and 224 of the Penal Code law.
Police First Information Report brought to the court indicted the accused of having committed the offence on October 27, 2012, by hitting the deceased “with criminal charm ring”.
The deceased was said to have collapsed and died when a fight broke out with one Buhari Abdullahi now at large, when the accused, in the bid to separate them hit his brother.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Police Prosecutor, Samuel Ikutanwa urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody, saying that investigation into the matter was still going on.
Counsel to the accused, Muazu Abbas, implored the court to grant bail to the accused saying, that it had the power to remand or release, even as he urged the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the accused.
Abbas explained that before arraignment, the accused was on police bail, as he tendered a letter to the court by one Suleiman S. Obadegba, uncle to the deceased, of the family’s intention not to pursue the case.
The Chief Magistrate, Levi Animoku in his ruling released the accused on bail in the sum of N100, 000 with a surety to be resident in Lokoja, in like sum. Animoku stated that the essence of bail was to secure the attendance of the accused in court to take his trial and “I am sure that he would attend to his trial.”He adjourned the case to June 13 for mention.
