I'm accused of killing person I never met'





An accused person standing trial for culpable homicide has told a magistrate's court in Minna, Niger State, that he is being accused of killing a man he had never met.

The accused, 23-year-old Mathew Ayeni, was charged to court for murder contrary to Section 221 of Penal Code.

The charge sheet obtained from the court reads in part, "One Abdullahi Adamu of Gbaganu Kpakungu in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State reported at Kpakungu Police Station that on the March 31, 2013, at about 7pm, you, Mathew Ayeni, fought with your brother, Abdullahi, now deceased, over an argument in which you used your knife and stabbed him on his back. He was rushed to a General Hospital where he was certified dead."

The suspect pleaded not guilty to the charges, saying, "I did not know the deceased let alone killing him in the first place."

Counsel for the accused, Nathaniel Chris, made an oral application for the bail of Ayeni.

The prosecutor, Hassan Zakari, objected to Chris' bail application, telling the court the offence, which he (accused) was charged is a capital offence.

He urged the court to abide by Section 129 sub-section 4 of CPC and remand the accused in prison pending the outcome of state Director of Public Prosecution's advice.

Presiding magistrate, Maryam King, said, "I am only conducting preliminary trial because this court has no jurisdiction to entertain the case."

She then advised the prosecutors to hasten up in sending the case file to the DPP's office for legal advice before the next sitting slated for May 14.




Punch