A Makurdi Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded a 20-year-old man Joshua Ochom at the Federal Correctional Centre, Makurdi, for alleged culpable homicide.

Police prosecutor, Sgt Kuegh Abugh, told the court that the case was reported to the Commissioner of Police by one Linda Ojokwu of Irabi Edii-Ito in Obi LGA of Benue State.

He said the matter was referred to General Investigation section of the state criminal investigation department, Makurdi, on February 28.

Abugh said that the accused, Ochom, of the same address killed Mrs. Dorcas Iji, mother of the informant during a discussion in the deceased’s room.

“On the 16th February, at 0730hrs, while the complainant was preparing to go to school, her deceased mother Dorcas Iji was picking palm nuts in her compound with a blind woman, Margaret Ugaba, her neighbour.

“Soon, one Joshua Ochom of the same address came around and invited the deceased into her room for discussion after normal greetings, and the complainant left for school while they were still discussing.

“When she returned from school in the evening, she discovered her mother lying dead on her bed in her room and she mentioned the said Joshua Ochom as the person who killed her mother,” the prosecutor said.

He said that the accused was arrested during the Police investigation, for committing the offence.

The prosecutor further said the offence contravened Section 222 of the Penal Code, Laws of Benue State, 2004.

Abugh said investigation into the matter was ongoing and asked for additional time to complete it.

When the case came up for mention, the plea of the accused was not taken for want of jurisdiction.

The Magistrate, Mrs. Kadoom Gbasha, ordered that the accused be the remanded at the Federal Correctional Centre, Makurdi, and adjourned the case until May 13, for further mention.

-NAN