Three traders, Aa Bemgba, Torhange Agbo and Asanyi Terkula, were on Friday arraigned before a Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged conspiracy
By Onyeje Abutu-Joel
Three traders, Aa Bemgba, Torhange Agbo and Asanyi Terkula, were on Friday arraigned before a Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged conspiracy and armed robbery.
Bemgba, Agbo and Terkula, who live in Vandeikya Local Government Area, are being charged with conspiracy, armed robbery, mischief, threat to hostage taking and acts of terrorism among others.
The Prosecutor, Insp Godwin Ato, told the court that the case was transfered to the State CID, Makurdi, on July 17 from the Area Command Headquarters, Gboko.
Ato said that the defendants were arrested on July 12, by a combined team of police personnel from Ihugh and Vandeikya Divisions following a distress call from the Mr Dennis Guda, the Chairman, Vandeikya Local Government Council.
The prosecutor said that on July 7, the defendants armed themselves with weapons and violently attacked the chairman and some traders at Vandeikya Market.
He said that the defendants damaged the chairman’s vehicle and threatened to kill anyone who dared to stop them.
“In the process, the defendants stole the sum of N7.5 million from a trader, Atume Tsehe. They gave her a deep cut on the head,” he said.
Ato said that the offenses contravened Sections 6(b) and 1(1) (2)(a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, 2004, and 329 of the Penal code law of Benue, 2004.
He further stated that the offenses were contrary to Sections 7 and 4(2) of the Abduction, Hostage Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law of Benue, 2017.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Kelvin Mbanongun, did not take the defendants plea for want of jurisdiction.
Mbanongun remanded the defendants in a correctional centre in Makurdi, and adjourned the matter until Sept 10, for further mention.(NAN)
