Twenty-six-year-old Babalola Kunle has been remanded in prison for allegedly killing his friend, Olasunkanmi Monday, by pushing him into the river in a bid to recover his missing phone.
The incident happened at Idiroko Village, Ikorodu area of Lagos.
The police said Kunle had suspected the deceased to have stolen his phone.
He then gave him a chase on the fateful day, before pushing him into the Majidun River, where he died.
The deceased was said to have drowned after efforts to rescue him failed.
Kunle was thereafter arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s court on one count of murder.
The charge reads, “That you, Babalola Kunle, and others at large, on or about March 16, 2014, at Idiroko Village, Ikorodu, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
“That you did unlawfully kill one Olasunkanmi Monday, aged 24 years, by pushing him into the Majidun River.”
The defendant’s plea was not taken.
The police prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji filed application for the remand of the defendant in prison. He said the remand would also help the police to obtain legal advice from the state’s Directorate of Public Prosecution.
The defence counsel, Spurgeon Ataene and O.C. Osordi, however, objected the remand application.
Osordi said, “Having listened to the application for remand, it is the same Section 264 (1) of the Law that gives the court the power to enquire into the case to see if there is probable cause for remand. And if the court is not satisfied, it may consider subsection 5, which gives the go ahead to admit the defendant to bail.”
The magistrate, Mr. E.O. Ogunkanmi, called the Investigating Police Officer, Sergeant Babatunde John for the outcome of his investigation.
John said the deceased had been accused of stealing the defendant’s phone, which led to a chase.
“He pushed him into the Majidun River. He was brought out dead. His corpse was then taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital,” he added.
The suspect was said to have been arrested after the matter was reported at Owutu Police station, Ikorodu.
Ogunkanmi ruled that Kunle be remanded in the Ikoyi Prison pending DPP legal advice.
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