Police Arraigns Suspected Robbers of Vanguard Publisher

Akinwale Akintunde

The Nigeria Police wednesday arraigned six suspected armed robbers who robbed the home of the Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka three months ago and carted away cash and other valuables.

The suspects who were arraigned before Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi of an Ikeja Magistrate Court are Koyis Usman ( 22), Umaru Oseni (46), Abdurasaq Hassan (43), Musa Atim Abubakar (31), Gambno Umar (31) and Abdulramon Kashil (25).
They were arraigned on a four-count charge offence bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and grievous bodily harm and have however been remanded in prison custody.

According to the police, the defendants on June 5, 2016 at about 2.30a.m. at Anthony Village, Lagos did conspired amongst themselves, with others now at large, “to commit felony to wit armed robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 297 and punishable under section 295 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.”
The charge sheet stated in part: “That you Koyis Usman, Umaru Oseni, Abdurasaq Hassan, Musa Atim Abubakar, Gambno Umar and Abdulramon Kashil and others now at large on the same date, time and place whilst arm yourself with gun and knife did rob your victim of one Samsung Galaxy valued N100,000; $5,500.00 (equivalent of N1,815,000.00); three gold wrist watches valued N360,000.00; two leather wrist watches valued N100,000; and cash sum of N500,000 property of one Samson Oruru Amuka, publisher of Vanguard Newspaper and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 295(c) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.”

“That you Koyis Usman, Umaru Oseni, Abdurasaq Hassan, Musa Atim Abubakar, Gambno Umar and Abdulramon Kashil and others now at large on the same date, time and place whilst arm yourself with gun and knife did unlawfully inflicted grievous harm on their victim by using iron rod cutter to hit and damage the left rib and two fingers of Samson Oruru Amuka, publisher of Vanguard Newspaper and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 243 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011”.

The defendants were further alleged to have on the same date, time and place “cause damage to a window burglary asbestos, two doors, property of Samson Oruru Amuka, publisher of Vanguard Newspaper and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 337 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011”.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Simeon Imohwa prayed the court for an order remanding them in prison custody.
Magistrate Osunsanmi, asked what was found in the possession of the defendants as at time of arrest and the prosecutor listed them to include one iron cutter, one military camouflage uniform, one salon car marked LSD 337 and one hammer.

The plea of the defendants was not taken by the court, neither were they represented by any legal counsel.
Following the prosecutor’s request, the trial magistrate ordered that the suspects be remanded in Kirikiri Prison custody and adjourned the matter till November 10, 2016 for hearing.