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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
September 21, 2013
BRIEFS 33-yr-old man beats BlackBerry girlfriend to stupor
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n Abeokuta Chief Magistrate’s Court, in Ogun State has remanded a 33-year-old man, Olasunkanmi Ikuomola, in prison custody for beating his girlfriend to a state of stupor. The accused, Ikuomola, of 28 Ori-Iyarin Agbeloba in Abeokuta, was arraigned on a two-count charge of attempted rape and assault, but no plea was taken. The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Banji Sangotokun, told the court that the offence was committed on August 5, 2013 at 6:18pm at the accused’s residence. He said that the accused attempted to rape the woman and in the process beat her to stupor. Sangotokun said: “The accused and the lady had been chatting on Black Berry for a while and had been intimate. “Ikuomola invited her to his house and when she got there, he locked the door and started beating her mercilessly, forcefully removing her pants and bra. “It was the neighbours that heard her screams and came to her rescue. They broke the door of the accused’s apartment.” According to the prosecutor, neighbours met the lady badly beaten, lying nude and unconscious on the floor.
Two Chinese nationals docked for attempted rape of 20-year-old cook
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wo Chinese nationals, Chen Gang and Zhao Weidong, who allegedly attempted to rape their 20-yearold cook, were, yesterday, charged before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court in Lagos. Gang, 47, is facing a four-count charge of attempted rape, sexual harassment and indecent assault, while Weidong, 31, is being tried for willful damage and attempt to pervert justice. The duo, however, entered a plea of not guilty. The prosecutor, Inspector Moses Uaedmevbo, told the court that the Chinese nationals committed the offences on September 15, 2013 at 8a.m. at China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC, Nigeria Railway Compound, Ebute Meta. He said Gang harassed the cook sexually and also attempted to have carnal knowledge of her. Uaedmevbo said, “Gang assaulted the woman by removing her bum shorts forcefully and touching her without her consent. The woman shouted for help and the policemen on duty in the compound came to rescue her.” Uaedmevbo alleged that Weidong also destroyed a Nokia mobile phone belonging to the woman by throwing it (www.gazellenews.com) into the toilet.
Crime Watch End of the road for kidnappers of school leaver z I was contracted to keep company of lonely man – Kidnapper claims z My role was to drive them around town – Another kidnapper
The suspects
SEGUN ADIO
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ince leaving school some years ago, Paul Edeh had been shuttling Port Harcourt, Rivers State from his native Enugu State hoping that a suitable job would be secured in the Garden City. Though he still says he is searching for a dream job, it is said that Edeh’s lifestyle does not portray that of an unemployed man. He is reported to have been ‘settled’ by his brother who is said to be doing well in Port Harcourt. Paul reportedly rode an exotic car anytime he was in his country home where he met his friends and siblings, where they all had nice times together. Recently, Paul was on his usual visit to his country home but got what he never bargained for. Unknown to Paul, some criminallyminded people in the neighbourhood were observing his affluent lifestyle and were looking for a way to get a share of it. Paul reportedly drove in his Toyota Tundra car with registration number ABUJA 424 ABC into his friend’s family house at Aji in IgboEze North Local Government Area of the state. John Abah, his friend, received him well and they had a nice time together with some other friends. Around 11:00 pm, Paul informed his friend’s parents of his intention to go home. But John’s parents would not hear of it. They reportedly prevailed on Paul to spend the night with them and go home the following day. Paul hearkened to the advice and retired to his friend’s room. But barely a quarter of an hour later, something happened. While the two friends were on the bed, a loud bang was reportedly heard
at the door and four heavily armed men burst into the room. Threatening to kill anyone who attempted to raise the alarm, the gunmen blindfolded Paul and whisked him out of the room. He was reportedly dumped, blindfolded, into his own car and driven away with two other men who stood guard outside the building. Moments after the kidnappers had gone, John and his family reportedly alerted law enforcement agents who immediately swung into action. A detachment of policemen then gave the kidnappers a hot chase after receiving a tip-off from members of the community where they headed after the abduction of the young man. Around 12:05a.m, the law enforcement agents reportedly pursued the kidnappers towards Obollo community where they were told the kidnappers had driven towards. Before long, the car was sighted and inside it were Ejiofor Apeh and Ifeanyi Abah both of Enugu Ezike in IgboEze North Local Government Area of the state. Initially the two suspects reportedly denied knowledge of the kidnap. They, however, confessed during interrogation. The two suspects then reportedly took the law enforcement agents to their hideout where they reportedly met stiff resistance from three other members of the gang stationed there to watch over Paul. It was reported that after a fierce gun battle, the three members watching over Paul surrendered to the law enforcement agents and they were also arrested and Paul was immediately rescued. In his confessional statement, Ejiofor claimed he was brought in to help drive the car. He denied knowledge of knowing that the members of the gang were kid-
nappers. “I am a driver in Enugu and the people called me to help them drive one of their cars out a forest for them. They promised to give me money but I did not know that they were going for another mission”. Another suspect, identified as Ogbonna, told the police that he was only asked to help look after the victim whom the abductors reportedly claimed were their friend from Lagos who had quarrel with his father and needed a place to hide. “When I was asked to come here (into the forest) what I was told was that a friend from Lagos who quarrelled with his father over something was around and would be staying for some days in the bush. I was asked to come and keep his company pending when he would be there. I never knew that he was kidnapped by the same guys,” Ogbona claimed. Paul, visibly shaken after his rescue was said to have told law enforcement agents that he could have been killed while he was being driven through the hill where he was hid. “I was really scared when I was being driven to where I was hidden because they felt that they were being chased. So, the speed we drove was such that twice we escaped death before they finally took me to the place from where I was rescued,” he said. Ebere Amaraizu, Enugu State Police Public Relations Oofficer, in a statement, debunked the defence of the suspects. He maintained that they all were heavily armed and engaged policemen in a fierce gun duel before they were arrested. Amaraizu said the suspects are still being investigated and would be prosecuted upon competition of investigation.
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