The principal suspect in the deadly April 5 bank robbery attack in Offa, Kwara State, Michael Adikwu, is dead.
The Nigeria Police Force headquarters reportedly passed the information about the death of Adikwu to the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Kwara State on Tuesday.
The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Kamaldeen Ajibade, disclosed this when five suspects in connection with the bank robbery were arraigned before an Ilorin High Court yesterday.
Ajibade told the court that in view of the information about the death of Adikwu, and none representation of the accused persons by a lawyer, there would be a need for an amendment to the charges preferred against them.
He also informed the court that the reason behind the amendment was because the principal suspect, Adikwu, had made statement to the police before his death and the statement had formed the earlier proof of evidence filed before the court.
He therefore urged the court to grant an adjournment to enable his office to effect necessary amendments to the charges.
Adikwu, first accused in the case, had been charged before the court along with five other suspects. But when the case came up yesterday, only the five suspects were present in court. Those present were the second to sixth accused; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salaudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran.
In her short ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Halimat Saleeman, agreed with the attorney general that there was need to effect some changes preferred against the accused in view of the death of the principal suspect and lack of legal representation for the other accused persons.
She therefore adjourned the case to November 30.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Ajibade said the state would write the police for evidence to show that the first accused was truly dead as well as the circumstances surrounding his death.
