Enugu Court remands remands two siblings for alleged murder

An Enugu North Magistrates Court presided by Mr J. I. Agu on Wednesday remanded two siblings, Chiamaka Ifezue, 26, and Chukwuemeka Ifezue, 21 for alleged murder.

The accused were arraigned on two count charges bordering on the murder of one Miss Ijeoma Nneka, 27 on Nov. 11, 2020.

According to the charge, the two siblings were said to have conspired to commit felony to wit: murder and, thereby, committed an offense punishable under Sect. 494 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vo. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.

The accused were also alleged to have unlawfully killed the deceased on the same day by compelling her to drink poisonous substance and, thereafter, poured corrosive acid chemical all over her body which caused her death.

The offense is said to be punishable under Sect. 274(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.

The accused, however, did not take please when the charges were read to them as the Magistrates Court declined jurisdiction on the matter.

Agu said that the court would only conduct binding over proceedings in order to refer the matter to the Attorney General(AG) and Enugu State Commissioner for Justice.

The prosecution counsel, CSP C.P. Nwachukwu, thereafter, supplied the court with the names of 11 prosecution witnesses and handed over the two original police case files to the court.

The numbers of the case files are CR41/2020 from Independence Layout Police Station and CR4/2020.

In his ruling, Agu said that each of the witnesses had been bound over to the sum of N10, 000 to appear before any competent court that the case would be transferred to.

He directed that the case files be transmitted to the AG and commissioner for justice for his opinion and advise.

Agu also directed that the accused be remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Services, Enugu Custodial Centre and adjourned the matter until Feb. 24, 2021 for report on the AG’s opinion. (NAN)