A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Lokoja has remanded four suspects at Koto Karfe Correctional centre for alleged theft, fraud and impersonation.
Three of the suspects were arraigned on four-count charge for allegedly terrorising students and community members of Adakolo, Felele, Bassa and Crusher in the outskirts of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
They were arrested in connection with the recent attacks on the students populated communities in Felele, dispossessing them of valuables, such as smartphones, computers among others.
The suspects are Abbas Salisu, who admitted stealing 33 phones, Gimba Ibrahim and Mamud Lawal Kwara, who claimed to be phone technicians, and allegedly bought the stolen phones from the prime suspect.
The prosecuting counsel, Olanrewaju Yahaya has urged the court to remand the suspects at Koton Karfe Medium Custodian centre pending investigation of the case.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Abbas Saludu, 22, ‘m’, Gimba Danlami Ibrahim, 25, ‘m’, and Mamud Lawal Kwara 26, ‘m’, on or about February 2024 in Lokoja within the jurisdiction of this Court, did criminally conspire to commit an illegal act to wit; theft of phones, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 (1) of Kogi State Penal Code.
However, the defence counsel, Mr M. A. Abbas asked the court for adjournment to enable him file a formal bail application for the defendants.
After taking his submission, Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Mopa remanded the suspects in custody at Koto Karfe Correctional centre and adjourned to May 9, for hearing.
In a similar matter, the Chief Magistrate Court remanded one Austin Obaje at Koton- Karfe Medium Correctional Centre for alleged impersonation, extortion and fraud.
Obaje was dragged before the Magistrate Court for consistently using the name of the Department of State Service (DSS) to defraud the unsuspecting members of the public.
He was charged with fraudulently obtaining the sum of N300,000 from Dr. Simeon Oyigun Omkojin, who is the Chairman of Kogi East Neighbourhood watch), under the false pretence that he was sent by Mr Tosin Ajayi, the State Director of DSS, Kogi State Command, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 322 of Kogi State Penal Code.
He was also charged with raising false alarm that the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was after Dr Omakojin’s life.
During the proceeding, the prosecuting counsel, Yahaya Olarewaju, orally applied for the remand of the accused person pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Reacting, counsel to the defendant, William Alewo, urged the court to grant his client bail to enable him to prepare for his case.
He noted that the accused will not jump bail or interfere with the investigation.
He later sought adjournment to enable him file a formal bail application.
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Mopa remanded the accused person in the custody of Koton Karfe Correctional centre and adjourned it to May 9, for hearing.
