A
49-year-old farmer, Gabriel Ajor, has been arraigned before a Lokoja
Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly abducting and selling seven
children, including his two sons and an eight-year-old baby, for
N400,000.
Ajor
was alleged to have abducted and sold the children under the pretext
of sending them to schools in Owerri and United States of America,
USA.
On
arraignment at the Lokoja Chief Magistrate’s Court II on Monday,
the accused was said to have tricked one Kenneth Omale and John
Attah, parents of five of the children, into believing he meant well.
According
to the prosecuting police officer, ASP Cornet Ayabatu, the accused,
who is from Nwajala in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State,
between March and June, criminally conspired with others now at large
to commit the offence.
Vanguard
reports that Ayabatu said that the matter was reported on July 8 by
Kenneth Omale of Nwajala at the police area command office, Idah and
Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Lokoja.
He
said the children, Goodway Kenneth, 5; Kindness Kenneth, 3; Shedrack
John, 6; Goodday John, 6; Confidence Ojonuba, eight months old; Gift
Gabriel, 6 and Destiny Gabriel, 3, all male, were allegedly taken to
an undisclosed destination.
Ayabatu
said police investigation led to the arrest of Ajor, who confessed
that he was paid N400,000 for the seven children by one Malik in
Owerri, Imo State.
He
was charged with criminal conspiracy and kidnapping contrary to
sections 97(1) of the Penal Code and Section 4(1), punishable under
section 4(3)(a) of Kogi State Kidnapping and other Related Offences
(Prohibition) Law 2015.
The prosecutor however, told the court that investigation into the matter was in progress and asked for adjournment to enable the police address some grey areas.
The prosecutor however, told the court that investigation into the matter was in progress and asked for adjournment to enable the police address some grey areas.
In
his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Alhassan Husaini, said that he was
inclined to put on hold all ancillary applications connected to the
case till the next sitting in view of the weighty and serious nature
of the allegations.
Husaini,
therefore, ordered that the accused be remanded at the state CID
detention facility in Lokoja and adjourned the case to August 24 for
further mention.
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