3 policemen docked over attempt to kidnap judge

Three policemen in Delta State have been arraigned before Magistrate’s Court 111, Warri, for alleged abduction threat and attempt on the life of a High Court judge, Justice Elizabeth Ngozi Azinge.
According to the charge NO: MW/355c/2021 made available to National Mirror yesterday, the suspects were remanded in Warri Federal Prisons on the order of the presiding judge, E. A. Odjugo.
Also arraigned and remanded in prisons custody on Friday was the driver of the judge, Matthew Igbon (29).
The suspects are: Constable Maka Godfrey (29 years), Corporal Francis Okolie (30), Constable Asomuya Nicholas (28) and another policeman, Paul Yadi, now at large.
The charges read thus: “That you, Nicholas Asomuya ‘m’, Matthew Igbon ‘m’, Godfrey Maka ‘m’, Francis Okolie ‘m’ and one Paul Yadi ‘m’ now at large sometimes in the month of September 2012 at Warri in the Warri Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Written threat to kill and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 A (1) of the Criminal Code Law Cap C 21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State 2006.
Count II reads: “That you, Nicholas Asomuya ‘m’, Matthew Igbon ‘m’, Godfrey Maka ‘m’, Francis Okolie ‘m’ and one Paul Yadi ‘m’ now at large sometimes in the month of September, 2012 at Warri in the aforementioned Warri Magisterial District directly or indirectly cause a serving judge in the state (names withheld) to receive a written note of threat to kidnap and kill her and members of her family if a ransom of N20 million is not paid with a view to cause reasonable apprehension and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 323 of the Criminal Code Law Cap C 21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State 2006.”
The suspects pleaded not guilty to charges against them and they asked for their case to be tried in the Warri Magistrates’ Court 1.
But they had no lawyer to represent them when the matter came up.
Igbon asked for access to a lawyer claiming that since their arrest, they had been denied access to relatives and lawyers with their phones taken away from them.
The Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Edema H. Eyefeugiren, who led a team of lawyers, asked for more time, saying they were not ready for hearing.
The case was later adjourned till January 23, 2013 while the accused were taken to the prison.