By theconclaveng- December 13, 20240107
The Commissioner of Police in Edo State has filed a criminal complaint before a Magistrate Court in Auchi, presided over by Magistrate M. Oare, against Chief Benjamin Ikani and five others for assaulting Julie Abide and Esther Okwiufu at Uzanu Community in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The five others listed, as 2nd to 6th defendants in the charge sheet marked 161c/c/2024 are Ikpemhi Okogie (M, aged 27 years), Eshemogie Clifford (M, 30 years), Jimoh Daniel (M, 42 years), Anthony Adamu (M, 53 years) and Akuda James (M, 40 years), together with Ikani committed the crime sometime in 2021.
They allegedly committed a seven-count criminal offence punishable under relevant sections of the Criminal Law of Edo State 2022.
In count I, the Commissioner of Police (CoP) alleged that the defendants, including those at large, did conspire among themselves to commit misdemeanor, to wit: assault and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 413 of the Criminal Law of Edo State 2022.
The CoP alleged in count II that the defendants did unlawfully assault one Julie Adibe (F) by flogging her with horse whip all over her body and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 173 of the Criminal Law of Edo State 2022.
In count III, they unlawfully assaulted one Esther Okwiufu (F) by allegedly beating her with sticks and making her to eat her faeces, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 173 of the Criminal Law of Edo State 2022.
The defendants were alleged in Count IV to have conspired among themselves to commit felony, to wit: trial by ordeal and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 412 of the Criminal Law of Edo State 2022.
In count VI, the CoP alleged that while in control and presiding over trial by ordeal, subjected one Julie Abide to inhuman condition and violently compelled her against her wish to confess to being a witch in their village shrine, and, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section131 of the Criminal Law of Edo State 2022.
In count VII, they were alleged to have conduct among themselves in a manner likely to cause a a breach of the peace by tying one Julie Abide to a tree at the market square till the following day and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 167 (C) of the CRIMINAL Law of Edo State 2022.
The criminal complaint suit was filed on December 12, 2024, and would be read to the defendants in court of January 7, 2025