The Benue Police Command on Friday arraigned one Abunde Goja, 32, who allegedly killed his ex-wife’s lover.
Goja was charged with conspiracy, culpable homicide and membership of unlawful society before a Makurdi Upper Area Court.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Veronica Shaagee, said that Goja attacked and killed Mr Terdoo Shitov of Judges Quarters, Makurdi,
She said that the murder occurred in the ex-wife’s father’s house.
Shaagee said that Goja, a resident of Achusa, Makurdi, conspired with several others and attached Shitov with machete and acid.
She told the court that the case was transferred from B Division Police Station, Makurdi, to the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department on Jan. 7.
“While she (Goja’s ex-wife) was in her room with her boyfriend, Terdoo Shitov, in her father’s house, her ex-husband, Bunde Goja, conspired with his cult members now at large and attacked and ‘macheted’ Terdoo Shitov to death and also poured acid on his head.”
The prosecutor said that the accused was arrested during police investigation and that he confessed to committing the crime.
She said that a machete stained with blood, a plank, an axe, an acid rubber container and a blood-stained cloth were recovered from the scene of the crime.
Shaagee said that investigation into the matter was still ongoing, and requested for an adjournment to enable the police to complete it.
She said the offences contravened Section 97, 222 of the Penal Code, Law of Benue, 2004, and Section 11(2) of the Abduction, Hostage- Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law, 2017.
The court did not take the plea of the accused due to want of jurisdiction.
The Magistrate, Mrs Fatima Akintomide, ordered that Goja should be kept at the Federal Medium Prison, Makurdi, and adjourned the case to Feb. 15, for further mention.
