A 49-year-old wife with her 31-year-old son was on Thursday docked at an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over the alleged murder of her 49-year-old husband, Lucky Bassey.
The accused: Grace Bassey and Benjamin Otu, were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.
They were alleged to have connived together and killed the pastor by slitting his throat with a kitchen knife.
The prosecutor, Inspector Julius Babatope, told the court that the accused persons allegedly committed the offences on January 25, about 4 a.m., at No. 23, Abari St., Iyana-Ipaja, a Lagos surburb.
Babatope said that the accused allegedly perpetrated the act in a way that they made it look like he personally committed suicide.
He said that the offence contravened Sections 221 and 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Section 221 stipulates a life-time in jail for the offender if found guilty.
The magistrate, Mrs H.O. Omisore, refused to take the plea of the accused saying that her court lacked the jurisdiction.
She, however, directed the police to continue their investigation into the matter.
Omisore also directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward it to the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for legal advice.
The magistrate also ordered the remand of the accused at the Ikoyi Prisons pending when the court would receive legal advice from the DPPs office.
She said the advice from the DPPs office would indicate the appropriate court where the accused would be tried.
Omisore then adjourned the case to April 12.
