A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Monday ordered that two teenagers should face trial before a high court for the alleged murder of a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastor.
The defendants are Faruk Muhammed and Kasali Jamiu, aged 16 and 19, respectively.
Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun Adeola gave the order following advice from the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
She discharged two men – Mumuni Toheeb, 21, and Mubarak Soliu, 20 – who were arraigned along with the teenagers before the chief magistrates’ court. She discharged Messrs Toheeb and Soliu based on the recommendation of the DPP.
Mrs Adeola adjourned the case until February 16, for the Nigeria Correctional Service to produce Mr Soliu in court for enforcement of the DPP’s advice.
Mr Soliu was absent at Monday’s proceedings.
Mrs Adeola ordered parties in the suit to appear before her on April 4, for the report on the filing of the murder charge against the teenagers at the high court.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four persons were on January 12, arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, murder and receiving stolen property.
The teenagers faced the first two counts of conspiracy and murder while the other two persons were charged with receiving stolen property.
The court had remanded Mr Muhammed to the Special Correctional Centre for Boys at Oregun, Lagos State, while Mr Jamiu was remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
The court had granted bail to Messrs Toheeb and Soliu in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each in like sum.
Prosecution counsel, Julio Hodonu, had said that the defendants committed the offences on December 3, 2021, on Road 13, 6th Ave., FESTAC Town, Lagos State.
He alleged that Messrs Muhammed and Jamiu stabbed Babatunde Dada, a pastor of the RCCG, and stole his Tecno Spark S worth N60,000.
Mr Hodonu added that the defendants hit the pastor’s head with wood before stabbing him to death with a broken bottle.
He said that the teenagers stabbed the pastor in the neck.
According to him, Messrs Toheeb and Soliu, at Ijora-Badia, Lagos State, received the pastor’s stolen phone from the teenagers with the intention to sell it.
He told the court that the defendants were arrested in Ilorin and that the objects used in the alleged murder were recovered.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alleged offences contravene Sections 411, 223 and 328 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
