An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered the remand of a 30-year-old bricklayer, Paul Obiefule, for allegedly beating to death his wife’s relative, Onyedikachi Mbanozo.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Demi Ajayi, said he should be kept in custody pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
PUNCH Metro had reported on May 29, 2014 that the 12-year-old victim was staying with the Obiefules in their home on Omitola Street, in the Agege area of Lagos State.
Our correspondent learnt that the deceased was Obiefule’s wife’s cousin.
However, the suspect was said to be in the habit of beating the late Mbanozo to the point of injury over simple faults.
It was reported that at the last flogging, the victim became sick for two weeks and could not go to school.
The suspect allegedly gave him another round of beating and locked him up in a room, leading to his death.
Neighbours were said to have observed Obiefule and his wife plotting to smuggle out the corpse of the boy and they reported the incident at the Pen Cinema Police Station.
The defendant was then arrested.
He was arraigned on one count of murder.
The charge reads, “That you, Paul Obiefule, on May 26, 2014, at about 11pm on Omitola Street, Agege, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Onyedikachi Mbanozo, aged 12 years, by beating him to death with fist blows and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.”
The defendant’s plea was not taken.
The police prosecutor, DSP Etim Ekankuk, applied for the remand of the defendant pending legal advice from the office of the DPP.
He said, “We hereby apply for the remand of the defendant in prison. Our request is brought pursuant to Section 264 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011. The remand is to enable the police get the legal advice from the office of the DPP.”
The Chief Magistrate afterwards ruled he be remanded for the first 30 days permitted by law, while awaiting the legal advice.
The matter was adjourned till December 17, 2014.
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