A Minna Magistrate court yesterday remanded two suspects, Rabi’u Lawalli, 22 and Iliya Ante 25, in prison custody for suspected armed robbery.
The suspects were arraigned on a count charge of belonging to a gang of thieves contrary to section 306 of the penal code.
The Prosecutor, Cpl. Suleiman Mohammed, told the court that on March 22, officials of Munya local government informed Insp. Napoleon Yakubu of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the existence of a criminal hideout in the area.
He added that based on the information, a team of policemen and vigilance group raided the hideout and recovered six cutlasses, one knife, six mobile phones, two unregistered Jincheng motorcycles and N13,000.
He said that the two suspects, who fled into a nearby bush, were later arrested in Zazaga area of Minna. Mohammed said that during investigation, Lawalli told the police he is a commercial motorcycle (Okada) operator in Sarkin Pawa in Munya local government area.
Yakubu said upon investigation, the Chairman Okada Riders Association in Sarkin Pawa, told the police that there was nobody bearing the name of Rabi’u Lawalli among the members of the association.
He said that Lawalli could not present any receipt of purchase of the motorcycle he claimed he was using for the Okada business.. When the charge was read to the suspects, they pleaded not guilty of robbery. The Magistrate, Hafsat Abdullahi adjourned the case till Sept. 18 to enable the complainant call more witnesses. (NAN)
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