From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Ex-militant, General Pere Ejune, 45, and his brother, Trim Ade, 32, were yesterday ordered to be remanded in prison custody by an Evbuoriaria Magistrate Court in Benin City.
The duo who were paraded with other suspected criminals on Wednesday by the Edo Police Command, were remanded over alleged possession of a double-barrel gun, a cut-to-size double-barrel gun and 18 live cartridges.
Police prosecutor told the court that the duo and others at large committed the crime on September 8, 2016, at about 2:00am at Upper Saprobe Road, Benin City.
The presiding Magistrate, C.E. Guam while ordering the remand of the suspects at Oko Prison, also ordered that the original case file be duplicated and sent to the office of the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice
She adjourned the case to October 20, 2016, for further hearing.
But counsel to the accused, Olayiwola Afolabi, alleged that his client was being prosecuted for political reasons following his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“They were charged to court for unlawful possession of firearms under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions).
“You can only charge a person to court for unlawful possession of firearms when a case of robbery has been established. In this case, there was no case of robbery.
“My client, General Pere, was not even found with any weapon. We are shocked he was charged with possession of firearms. He said he left APC and he is now in the PDP.
“We are happy that the Magistrate has said the case file be duplicated to the DPP. It happened before in Ovia 13. They hauled them to prison. I think the charge was prepared so that they can haul them to prison before election. We, however, know what to do,” he said.