Seven Robbery Suspects Arraigned In Enugu

Seven persons were on Monday docked at an Enugu Senior Magistrate’s Court on a six-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

They are Stanley Diugu, Henry Udeh, Ezinne Ugwu, Elo Uchenna, Philip Chiboy, Paul Eleje and Chinedu Onyia. Senior Magistrate E.A. Edeani granted the accused bail in the sum of N40, 000 each.

He ordered that they be remanded in prison if they failed to meet with the bail conditions, adding that the prosecution could appeal against the ruling at any high court of jurisdiction.

The accused persons were standing trial on a six-count charge of committing felony and conspiracy to commit armed robbery on June 21 at Umumba in Enugu.

They were alleged to have robbed one Patricia Akaume at gun-point of a Nokia handset valued at N3, 500 and a sum of N470, 000.

They were also accused of robbing one Ijeoma Chukwu, a youth corps member of her Nokia handset valued at N5,000, and a sum of N2,000 and an NYSC certificate.

The accused were also alleged to have robbed one Albert Erbiagaba of three mobile phones valued at N75, 000 and the sum of N42, 000, and one Felix Mbam of his Nokia handset valued at N10, 000 and the sum of N2, 085.

The suspects were said to have also robbed one Augustine Ogbonna of his Samsung handset valued at N10, 000 and sum of N619, 585.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr Peter Eze, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said eight persons testified to the police on the robbery incidents.

Eze also tendered two case files on the matter to the court as exhibits.

Counsel to Onyia, the seventh accused, Mr Augustine Ugwu, who referred to Section 167 of the Criminal Law, prayed the court to strike out the case since the complainants did not appear in court.

Counsels to other accused persons, Mrs U.J. Ogbuefi and Mrs I.C. Nnajuaku, also agreed and prayed the court to discountenance the case on the grounds that the prosecutor did not give reasons for the absence of the complainants.