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The Enugu North Magistrate Court 1 in Enugu State has remanded Onyeka Obu, a native doctor who allegedly buried several people alive in a sewage pit.
Burying people alive
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how Mr Obu allegedly buried several people in the pit, including a pregnant woman, apparently for ritual purposes.
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The incident happened on 26 May at Umumba Ndiagu, a community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The native doctor’s full name is Levi Onyeka Obieze Obu. He is popularly known as Ozo Ezeani as well as “E dey play E dey show.”
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Arraignment and remand
Mr Obu was arraigned on Wednesday on seven counts of conspiracy, kidnapping and murder.
The native doctor was arraigned alongside two others — Sebastine Offor, the second defendant, and Ejike Odinwakpa, the third defendant.
Police prosecutor and head of the legal team, Justice Attah, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences between April and 26 May.
Mr Attah said the offences were punishable under the Criminal Code, CAP 30, VOL II, Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004 and Criminal Code (Amendment) Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria No 14 of 2010.
When the charges were read to the defendants in Igbo language, the clerk separately asked them if they understood the charges against them.
After confirming separately that they understood the charges, the accused persons said they were not guilty of the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, O.S. Chukwuani, ordered that the defendants be remanded until 20 August.
Mr Chukwuani ordered the transfer of the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice and prosecution at a high court.
The magistrate explained that the court lacked the jurisdiction to either entertain the case or grant the defendants bail, given that they are accused of capital offences.
Lawyer speaks
Alex Amujiogu, counsel to the second defendant, told reporters after the hearing that the defendants would apply for bail at a high court.
“The offences in question are unbailable offences at the Magistrate Court. But the defendants have an option to apply for their bail at the high court, where they can be granted bail or not,” Mr Amujiogu said.
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Background
After Mr Obu’s alleged criminal activities went public, he attempted to flee Nigeria.
But he was arrested by personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at the Badagry-Seme Border Area of Lagos.
Days later, NIS authorities handed him over to the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force.
The native doctor was subsequently moved from Lagos to the Enugu State Command of the police, hours later, to face prosecution.
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