A 27-year-old trader, Muritala Najimu was arraigned by the police in Ondo State before a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, for allegedly kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, Omowumi Tiamiyu.
Najimu was said to have committed the offence on September 24, 2022, around 8,30pm at lkare Akoko, Akoko North-East Local Government Area of the state.
The police arraigned him on two counts bordering on kidnapping.
The police prosecutor, Mr Martins Olowofeso, told the court that the defendant kidnapped the victim to an unknown destination.
The charges sheet read: “That you, Muritala Najimu, and others at large, on September 24, 2022, around 8:30 pm at lkare Akoko, in the Ondo State Magisterial District, did conspire to commit a felony, to wit kidnapping, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516A of the Criminal Code Cap, 37. Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, Nigeria, 2006.
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“That you, Muritala Najimu, and others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, while armed with a gun and other offensive weapons, did kidnap one Omowumi Tiamiyu, 22, to an unknown destination, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (A&B) of the Ondo State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Laws (Special Provision) 2010.”
Mr Olowofeso prayed the court to remand the defendant pending advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
However, the defendant’s counsel, Sunday Ojigbo, however, prayed the court to strike out the remand application, adding that there was no provable evidence that he committed the offence.
He further asked the court to admit him to bail in liberal terms.
In her ruling, the Magistrate, R.A. Olumilua, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The Magistrate adjourned the case till November 23, 2022, for a hearing.
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