Court remands 16-year-old for stabbing friend to death

Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate Court

A 16-year-old boy, identified simply as Babatunde, has been ordered to be remanded in the Special Correctional Centre for boys at Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos State, for allegedly stabbing his friend, Bidemi Bankole, to death.

A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Ebute Meta ruled that he should be held in custody pending the release of a legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

The police had accused the minor of killing the deceased with a pair of scissors during a scuffle.

The incident was said to have happened on Rufai Street, Somolu area of the state. Babatunde, who is an apprentice in a printing company, was said to be cutting piles of papers in his boss’ shop on the fateful day when Bankole came on a visit.

Bankole, who complained that there was heat in the room, allegedly turned on the fan, despite the latter’s protest that it could disturb what he was doing.

The air wave from the fan was said to have scattered the suspect’s paper works, which led to an argument between the duo.

In the ensuing scuffle, the accused allegedly slit the bowel of his friend with the scissors.

Bankole was said to have been rushed to the hospital, where he gave up the ghost.

The suspect was subsequently arrested and arraigned on one count of murder.

The charge reads, “That you, Babatunde, on June 15, 2014 at about 6.15pm, at 13, Rufai Street, Somolu-Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Bidemi Bankole, aged 18 years, by stabbing him with a pair of scissors in his stomach and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.”

The defendant’s plea was not taken.

The police prosecutor, Etim Ekankuk, a Deputy Superintedent of Police, applied for the remand of the defendant in prison pending the release of the DPPs advice.

PUNCH