A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday ruled for the detention of 30-year-old farmer Terkula Chile at the state correctional center. He is accused of attempting to murder Terzungwe Ikyeleve.
Chile, residing behind RCM Primary School in Gwer-East Local Government Area of Benue, faced charges including criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, causing grievous harm, attempted culpable homicide, and criminal intimidation. However, Chief Magistrate Mr. Kelvin Mbanongun refrained from taking the defendant’s plea due to lack of jurisdiction.
Mbanongun postponed the proceedings until June 11 for further discussion.
Prior to that, Inspector Godwin Ato, representing the prosecution, informed the court that the case was received at the State CID, Makurdi, on April 2, through a letter of the same date. The letter detailed an incident on March 25, in which Emmanuel Kume brought his son, Ikyeleve, to the E Division Police Station in Makurdi. Ikyeleve was severely injured, nearly dead, with his left hand severed and a deep cut to his head.
Kume reported that on March 25, the defendant, along with others, allegedly conspired to trespass on his farmland where his son was working and brutally assaulted him without any provocation.
The complainant stated that the defendant had been openly bragging about merely sending a message to the victim’s father. Furthermore, he alleged that the defendant had threatened to kill him upon sight.
