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A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has ordered two teenagers to face trial before a high court for the alleged murder of a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastor, Babatunde Dada.
The defendants are Faruk Muhammed and Kasali Jamiu, aged 16 and 19.
Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun Adeola gave the order following the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advice.
On the recommendation of the DPP, she discharged two men – Mumuni Toheeb, 21, and Mubarak Soliu, 20 –who were arraigned along with the teenagers before the court.
Mrs Adeola adjourned the case until February 16 for the Nigeria Correctional Service to produce Mr Soliu in court to enforce the DPP’s advice.
Mr Soliu was absent at Monday’s proceedings.
Mrs Adeola ordered parties in the suit to appear before her on April 4 to report the murder charge against the teenagers at the high court.
The teenagers faced the first two counts of conspiracy and murder while the other two were charged with receiving stolen property.
The court had remanded Mr Muhammed to the Special Correctional Centre for Boys at Oregun, Lagos State, while Mr Jamiu was remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
The court had granted bail to Messrs Toheeb and Soliu in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each in like sum.
Prosecution counsel, Julio Hodonu, said the defendants committed the offences on December 3, 2021, on Road 13, 6th Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos State.
He alleged that Messrs Muhammed and Jamiu stabbed the pastor and stole his Tecno Spark S worth N60,000.
Mr Hodonu added that the defendants hit the pastor’s head with a piece of wood before stabbing him to death with a broken bottle.
He said that the teenagers stabbed the pastor in the neck.