The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has taken over the prosecution of four suspected terrorists who allegedly kidnapped and killed the traditional ruler of Amanze Obowo Autonomous Community of Imo State, Eze Basil Njoku, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The sudden takeover of the case by the AGF from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), however, led to a shifting of the date for the re-arraignment of the defendants in the amended charges brought against them.
The AGF, through his counsel, David Kaswe, invoked Sections 174 of the 1999 Constitution and 105 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 to assume the trial of the terrorism charges.
Immediately after the AGF announced the takeover of the prosecution, he pleaded with Justice Binta Nyako to postpone the arraignment to another date to enable him to study the case file and ensure diligent prosecution.
He stated that the Inspector General of Police had already been directed to make the case file available to the Federal Ministry of Justice for appropriate action by the AGF.
The four defendants are Jude Iheme, Chika Madukwe, Nwokorie Chidiebere Ejike, and Victor Nwajuiba Obumneke.
The three-count charge earlier brought against the defendants has been increased to five in the amended charges.
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Justice Nyako, after considering submissions from the AGF, subsequently scheduled April 15 for the re-arraignment of the defendants.
Iheme of Amagwu Amanze Obowo local government area of Imo and Madukwe of Ndi-Uche Etiti Omuimo local government area, also of Imo State, were said to have killed the traditional ruler on December 17, 2022.
The defendants were accused of killing the monarch while he was coming from the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, after kidnapping and collecting a ransom of N4 million cash from his family.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/575/2024, Iheme and Madukwe, alongside others said to be at large, were said to have conspired to commit a felony to wit, acts of terrorism contrary to Section 26 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
They were also accused of arming themselves with guns and offensive weapons, attacking, kidnapping, and killing the monarch on December 17, 2022.
The IGP also accused them of failing to volunteer information at their disposal to security agencies, which could have led to the apprehension of other kidnappers, contrary to Section 16 of the same Terrorism Act.