A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday, ordered that five farmers be remanded in a correctional centre for alleged culpable homicide.
The suspects included: Korsha Kumbur, Iorhemba Ukekor, Iorhemba Igbayima, Iorhemba Tarkaa and Mendah Gbaka.
The police charged the farmers, who live in Igbor Town in Gwer-East Local Government Area of Benue, with criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.
The Magistrate, Mrs Roseline Iyorshe, who did not take their plea for want of jurisdiction, adjourned the matter till Feb 13 for further mention.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp. Godwin Ato, told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Aliade in Gwer-East Local Government Area, to the State CID, Makurdi, on Dec 13, 2022 via a letter dated same day.
Ato said that one Mr Stephen Ioryem of Igbor town in Gwer-East Local Government Area, had reported at Aliade police station on Dec. 6, 2022 that his 79-year old father, Bela Ioryem, was killed by a group of people.
Stephen told the police that his father was sleeping in his house on Dec. 3 when a group of people attacked him, beat him up and hit him with a pestle in the head, while he died on the spot
The complainant further stated that the defendants had conspired with others and killed his father because of the dispute he was having with them over land.
Ato said that the defendants were arrested during police investigation for the crime allegedly committed.
The offences, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 97 and 222 of the Penal Code, Laws of Benue, 2004.