Kogi: Police arraign Audu’s son for armed robbery, culpable homicide

Kogi State Police Command has arraigned Mohammed Audu, the eldest son of former governor and All progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the last November 21 election, late Prince Abubakar Audu, for alleged criminal conspiracy, robbery and attempted culpable homicide.
Mohammed was arraigned on Thursday at the Chief Magistrate Court II, Lokoja, after his arrest on Wednesday night when he honoured the invitation of the state police command in Lokoja.
Following his interrogation, Mr Audu was later detained and charged with criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt, mischief, armed robbery and attempted culpable homicide, contrary to sections 97(1), 248, 327, 298 and 229 of the Penal Code Law.
The prosecuting police officer, Gabriel Otowu Esq. told the court on Thursday that the late politician’s son allegedly committed the offence against his uncle, Prince Yahaya Audu, on August 30 in the family house at Ogbonicha in Ofu Local Government Area.
According to the First Information Report, FIR, read by the Otowu, Yahaya Audu alleged that he and one Ibrahim Imam were in the family compound at Ogbonicha for the eight days Fidau Prayer of late Dauda Audu when the alleged offence took place.
He added that hoodlums who were heavily armed with guns, cutlasses and axes invaded his compound while pretending to be visitors, saying he ignorantly welcomed them and thereafter they asked him to give them “something no matter how small.”
As he walked towards his vehicle to give them money, he was attacked from behind with a matchete, inflicting him with cuts in his body.
In the process, he said that he fell down, pretending to be dead, adding that as they attempted to carry him up, he ran into the bush and escaped from their hands.
He added that the hoodlums broke the windscreen of his Hummer jeep and made away with his Samsung handset.
Explaining further, he said that he and Imam sustained bullet wounds and were later rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, for treatment, alleged further that prior to the attack, the accused person had threatened to deal with him.
In his submission, Okechukwu Ayewu, leading seven other lawyers for the accused, urged the court to grant his client bail in line with provisions of 36(5) of the constitution and sections 341(2)of the Criminal Procedure Code, CPC. – Nigerian Pilot.