The Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday, remanded a 26-year-old trader, Jemilu Sule, over alleged membership of a cult group and the killing of a woman and her housemaid.

The defendant, who resides at KM3, Naka Road in Makurdi, is facing a two-count charge of belonging to an unlawful society and culpable homicide.

Chief magistrate Kelvin Mbanongun, who did not take the defendant’s plea on the ground of jurisdiction, ordered his remand at the Makurdi prison custody.

The magistrate adjourned the case until March 21 for mention.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Godwin Ato, told the court that on January 14, a resident, Godwin Amali, reported at the ‘D’ Division Police Station, Makurdi, that his mother, Esther Amali, and her housemaid, Mercy Wuese, were murdered by the defendant.

“The complainant stated that the defendant, a member of the Viking Confraternity, criminally trespassed into their house at KM 3, Naka Road, and stabbed his mother and her housemaid with a knife in the armpit and chest,” Mr Ato told the court.

He said the mother and the maid bled to death before they could reach the hospital.

The prosecutor said the defendant was arrested for committing the crime following a police investigation.

According to him, the offences contravened sections 11(2) of the Abduction, Hostage-taking, Kidnapping, Secret cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law of Benue, 2017 and 222 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, 2004.

(NAN)