By Martin Iyonguvihi
A 65-year-old man, Iliasu Yerima, was dragged before a Makurdi Magistrate Court by his younger brother, Alhaji Idris Yerima, over inheritance.
The defendant was arraigned by the Benue Police Command for criminal conspiracy, belonging to unlawful society to wit cultism and criminal intimidation based on section 97, 11(2) of the abduction, hostage taking, kidnapping, secret cult and other similar activities prohibition law of Benue State 2017 and 398 of the penal code law of Benue State, 2004.
The younger brother, who resides at No. 18 Akure Street, Wadata Makurdi, through a petition written by his counsel, Kajoh and Associates on his behalf, had alleged that “sometime in the month of March, 2021, his elder brother, Iliasu Yerima of the same address criminally conspired with Wadata cult boys and invaded his house given to him as part of their father’s inheritance at the above mentioned address with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons and chased away all his tenants and threatened to kill anybody that challenges their authority.
He also alleged that the elder brother had constantly been chasing away his own tenants from his house, while threatening to kill them if they go close to the house.
No plea for want of jurisdiction was taken in court when the defendant was arraigned as the Prosecutor, Sgt Ato Godwin, asked for an adjournment to complete investigation in the matter.
The Magistrate, V.T. Kor Esq, however, asked the Investigation Police Officer, (IPO), Insp. Anthony Idoko, to tell the court how the Police were able to confirm if the defendant was a member of a secret cult; and the IPO said, “it has not been revealed if he is a true member, it’s a mere allegation.”
Counsel to the defendant, D.D. Aboshi, didn’t oppose application for adjournment but sought for leave of court and orally applied for bail of the defendant, citing section 166 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Benue State.
He said the defendant, who is an elder brother to the petitioner with the same mother, has been on police bail since March 2021, and will not jump bail and should be granted bail in the interest of justice.
The Magistrate granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N200,000 and a surety who shall be resident within the jurisdiction of the court, and adjourned the case to January 25, 2022 for further mention.