Ten persons who allegedly conspired
to torture three women for allegedly stealing pepper at Oba Morufu
International Market in Ejigbo on February 11, 2013, were on Tuesday remanded
in prison custody.
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Ikeja
High Court remanded the nine men and a woman after their arraignment by the
Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
They are to remain in custody,
pending the hearing and determination of their bail applications fixed for May
21.
The News Agency of Nigeria
reports that those arraigned were the Market Leader, Isiaka Waidi (61), Buhari
Yusuf (22), Abdullahi Haruna (20) and Saheed Adisa (29).
Others were Lateef Tijani (37),
Ahmed Adisa (65), Azeez Akinosun (36), Jimoh Busari (50), Adekunle Adenuga (38)
and Oloruntoyin Dauda (46), who is the only female defendant.
The defendants are facing 19
charges bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder, sexual assault, maliciously
administering poison, obtaining money by false pretenses and deprivation of
liberty.
The Director of Public Prosecutions,
Mrs Idowu Alakija, said the defendants had tortured the trio of Nike Salami,
Juliana and Joke Agomo for allegedly stealing pepper at the market.
Alakija said the women were beaten,
stripped and pepper was rubbed over their bodies by the suspects who are
members of the O’dua Peoples Congress.
The defendants were also alleged to
have inserted sticks and obnoxious substances into the women’s private parts,
while the incident was recorded with a mobile phone.
They were also accused of obtaining
the sum of N50,000 from one Fima Agomo, who is a relative to the victims.
They had claimed that the money
would be used to repay the traders whose pepper had been allegedly stolen.
According to her, their offences
contravene Sections 44, 127 (1) 171,228 (2), 241,243, 259, 270, 312, 408 and
409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
NAN reports that the offence of attempted murder is punishable
by life imprisonment if a defendant is found guilty.
The defendants, however, pleaded not
guilty when the charges were read to them.
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