MICHAEL AKINOLA
Police operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Yaba, Lagos, have uncovered and arrested a 27-year old man who murdered a 36-year old lady and dumped pieces of her body inside a shallow river.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 2nd July, 2025, at Otokola, Baba Aro Block, Ogombo, Lagos State where the suspect, Joseph Effiong Evangelist, allegedly conspired and killed the victim, Ayishatu Isah, in cold blood.
According to the Police, apart from killing the deceased with a cutlass, he cut off her jaw and dumped the corpse inside a river in the area before the Police discovered what happened.
He was then arrested by the Police operatives from Ogombo Division and transferred to SCID Yaba for further investigation. After thorough interrogation, he was found culpable for homicide under the Criminal law of the State.
Consequently, he was charged before the Yaba Magistrate Court for murder, which attracts several years of imprisonment or life imprisonment.
Part of the charges read:
“That you, Joseph Effiong Evangelist and two others at large, on thẻ 2nd day of July, 2025 about 1700m, at Otokola, Baba Aro Block, Ogombo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magistraterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit Murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
Count 11:”That you, JOSEPH OFFIONG EVANGELIST ‘M’ and two others at large, on the 2nd day of July, 2025, at about 1700hrs, at Otokola, Baba Aro Block, Ogombo, Lagos State, in Lagos Magaterial District, did unlawfully kill one AYISHATU ISAH ‘F’ aged 36 years by cutting off her lower jaw with a cutlass and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 222 and punishable under Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
COUNT III:”That you, JOSEPH OFFIONG EVANGELIST ‘M’ and two others at large, on the 2nd day of July, 2025, at about 1700hrs, at Olokola, Baba Aro Block, Ogombo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one AYISHATU ISAH ‘F’ aged 36 years and thereafter dumped her body in the shallow river, which is disrespect/disregard to the corpse and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 165 of the Criminal Law of Lap State of Nigeria, 2015.”
However, the Court did not take his plea following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Supol Thomas Nurudeen, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. A.O. Alaka, ordered his remand in custody at the correctional center pending when the DPP’s report will be ready and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.
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