The Edo State Police Command on Monday arraigned two people before the Oredo Magistrate Court for allegedly providing false information that led to the wrongful arrest of three people.
Defendants Gabriel Ekhaigba, male, 77, and Bashiru Aliu, male, 50, were charged with two counts bordering on conspiracy and false information.
When the charges were read to the defendants, both pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor Olajide Mary Omonor, a police inspector, told the court the crimes were committed on May 4, 2021 at the Edo State Police Command headquarters in Benin City.
Olajide claimed the accused gave Sunday Udoka, a deputy police superintendent, false information that was later found to be untrue.
According to the indictment, the duo and others, who are now at large at the Edo State Police Command Headquarters in Benin’s Oredo District on May 4, 2021, conspired to commit a crime.
She said the offense was punishable under Section 516 of Penal Code Cap 48 Vol. 11 Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, now applicable in Edo State.
On the second count, the accused and others who are now at large were charged with giving false information to a deputy superintendent at the Benin State Police Command Center in Oredo District on the same day, month and year Police, Sunday Udoka (m) , a police officer employed in the public service, through written statements addressed to the state’s police commissioner.
The Count further added that the defendants also wrote statements on May 6, 2021 claiming that a certain Umoru Yusuf (m), Jimoh Yusuf Mayo (m) and Kebiru Yusuf were involved in cults, although they knew that they were wrong.
It added that the false information resulted in ASP Sunday Udoka performing a duty which he should not have performed if the true facts were revealed to him.
He pointed out that the offenses are punishable under Section 125(1)(a) and (b) of the defunct Bendel State Criminal Code Acts 1976, now in force in Edo State.
Defendants’ attorney Steve Oko pleaded for the defendant to be granted bail.
He said the offenses were recoverable on bail, while the police prosecutor, who did not contest the oral motion, insisted that bail was at the discretion of the court.
The presiding judge, F.O. Oghahenhen, Senior Magistrate Grade II, granted the defendant bail of N50,000 each, a surety bond of the same amount who must be gainfully employed.
However, she adjourned the case for hearing on October 11, 2022.