Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja
An 18-year-old Disc Jockey (DJ), Ugbede Iyeh, has been remanded at the Federal Prison, Dekina by a Lokoja Chief Magistrate Court 1 for allegedly killing his friend, Ikani Amodu, with a pestle.
The Chief Magistrate Levi Animoku, who gave the order yesterday in his ruling after the arraignment of the accused in Lokoja, said the alleged offence of culpable homicide preferred against him and the manner in which it was allegedly committed was horrifying.
The prosecuting police officer, Tuesday Ganagana, had told the court that the case was reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters, Dekina and CIID, Lokoja by one Samson Ebenehi, the elder brother of the deceased.
It was alleged that the accused had on August 28, at about 8a.m. gone to the barbing saloon of Amodu, 30, to download some music tracks from the deceased laptop computer into his own.
Prosecution said the accused in the process, deleted all the tracks in the late barber’s laptop, following which a misunderstanding with altercations ensued, adding that the accused “criminally armed himself with mortar pestle and hit the deceased on the head.”
As a result, Ganagana further explained, the barber fell down and became unconscious and was rushed to Peace Hospital, Anyigba for treatment but was confirmed dead on arrival.
The prosecutor submitted that investigation into the matter was still on-going as he asked for another date for mention.
He reminded the court that the offence of culpable homicide under Section 221 of the Penal Code was not ordinarily bailable and therefore, urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody.
The Chief Magistrate, Animoku in the ruling, said the offence carried the highest penalty “in our laws. Bail is not granted as a matter of course as section 341(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) precludes the court.
“The accused shall be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Dekina. The case is hereby transferred to Chief Magistrate Court, Dekina,” he said and adjourned to September 27, for mention.
