Two Arraigned For Allegedly Demolishing Church Building

Two men, Aminu Nura, 45, and John Matthew, 34, have been docked before a Wuse Zone II Magistrates’ Court, for allegedly demolishing a church building unlawfully.

The defendants, who were staff of Dantata Town Development Company Limited, Kubwa, Abuja, allegedly committed the offences in December 2022.

The duo were arraigned by the police on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, mischief and criminal trespass.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecuting counsel, E.A Inegbenoise told the court that the case was reported by Mr Cyprian Effa and Mrs Shola Ademola at the Kubwa Division of Abuja Police Command on Jan. 22.

He alleged that the defendants conspired within themselves and unlawfully entered their compound, located at Kubwa, Abuja, with a bulldozer and demolished the said church building without lawful justification.

He said that the complainants lost all their church musical instrument and other valuables following the demolition. The cost of the items lost has not yet been ascertained.

According to him, the offences contravened the provisions of sections 96, 326 and 342 of the Penal Code.

The defence counsel, Mr Ofem Obeter, made an oral application for bail of the defendants, adding that the police ought to have arraigned Dantata Company and not his clients who were just employees of the company.

The Magistrate, Theresa Nten Otu, however, ruled that the defendants be remanded in prison and ordered the defence counsel to come formally with the application for bail.

The case was adjourned until Sept. 12 for hearing