A Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi, Benue State has ordered the remand of Esther Alex, the 17-year-old girl that allegedly set her boyfriend’s apartment on fire, killing him.
This followed the arraignment of the accused by police on Tuesday.
Magistrate Regina Ochokwunu granted the prayer of the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Dominic Ochaba, who prayed the court to remand the accused person in a correctional facility since investigation was ongoing.
The First Information Report on the case title ‘Mischief by fire and culpable homicide’ stated that Esther Alex of No. 1 Zaki Biam Street, Wadata, Makurdi, went to the house of Mr Chidimma Omah, 28, at No 17 Yandev Street, Makurdi, and poured petrol on the house, while he was asleep, and set it ablaze.
The FIR read in part, “As a result, the room was engulfed in fire, which burnt down the entire property, whose value is not yet known, together with Mr Chidimma Omah, who sustained grave burns and subsequently died while receiving treatment at the hospital.”
Responding, counsel for the accused, S. O. Obekpa, while not objecting to the prosecutor’s prayer, urged the court to take note of the FIR.
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Obekpa said that there was no objection to the police prosecutor’s prayer but the place and manner the fuel was kept.
However, the Magistrate turned down Obekpa’s subsequent request for an oral application to be made in respect of the FIR.
Magistrate Ochokwunu adjourned the case till March, 5, 2021.