The Police have arraigned 15 persons before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, who were alleged to be involved in the siege on the residence of Mary Odili, a Supreme Court Justice.
In an 18-count amended charge it filed on December 14, the Police on Wednesday accused the Defendants of an attempt to carry out a fake search warrant, which the procured deceitfully from an Abuja Chief Magistrate, at the residence of Justice Odili’s residence in Abuja.
The Police accused the Defendants of claiming to be acting on behalf of a fake Assets Recovery Unit, which they claimed to be under the Federal Ministry of Justice, invaded Justice Odili’s home on October 29, under the cover to extort her.
According to the charges, the Defendants were in possession of various forged documents and identification cards and claimed to be working on based on a tip-off given by a self-acclaimed whistleblower, Aliyu Umar Ibrahim, who was among those arraigned before the court.
Other defendants included an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mohammed Yahaya, Adjodo Lawrence (Aka Ola Ojo), Micheal Diete-spiff, two lawyers, Alex Onyekwuru and Igwe Ernest, and a journalist, Stanley Nkwazema.
They also included Bayero Lawal (aka director of EFCC), Hajiya Maimuna Maishanu, Ayodele Akindipe (Aka Herbalist), Yusuf Adaiu (aka godson to Peter Odili), Bashir Musa, Shehu Jibo, Abdulahi Adamu, and Abdulahi Usman who was identified as an Immigration officer.
According to the Police, five other suspects whose names were given as Sani Bala, Godwin Lucas, Solomon Bagudu, Austin and Michael, said to be at large.
Meanwhile, the 15 Defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to them, even as Police lawyer, CSP Matthew Amosun, applied for a trial date and for them to be remand in a Correctional Center.
The trial Justice Nkeonye Maha, in a ruling, delivered a few minutes to 9 pm, granted 13 of the defendants bail in the sum of N5million each with two sureties in the like sum.
The trial judge adjourned the case till January 17 for trial.
