Court remands 19-year-old man charged with alleged armed robbery

A Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi on Thursday ordered that a 19-year-old man, Jacob Utambe, charged with armed robbery be remanded in a correctional centre, pending legal advice.

The police also charged Utambe with illegal possession of firearm.

Magistrate Cynthia Ikpe did not take the plea of Utambe for want of jurisdiction.

She ordered that the police to return the case file to the Benue Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

Ikpe adjourned the case until July 7, 2021 for further mention.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel,  Sgt. Ato Godwin told the court that Utambe was arrested by a team of ”Operation Zenda”, led by Insp. Haleru Musa while on patrol at the Daudu/Yelwata road on May 28.

Godwin said that Utambe, who is from Yelwata Guma L.G.A Benue, was arrested on a motorcycle and a locally made pistol was recovered from him.

During police investigation, he said, Utambe confessed to being a member of a dreaded armed robbery syndicate terrorising motorists plying Daudu/Yelwata road .

He said that investigation into the matter was still ongoing and prayed the court for adjournment.

The offence, he said,  contravened the provisions of Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Benue state 2004, Section 4 of the Abduction, Hoatage-taking, kidnapping, Secret cult and other similar activities Law of Benue 2019 and Section 3(1) of the robbery and firearms special provision Act 2004.