Eight people on June 25 this year allegedly beat a man to death and dumped his corpse into the sea in Badagry, near Lagos, a Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday.
The accused are: Abiola Amos, 37; John Jacob, 56; Angela Okpala, 38; Felicia Alhaji, 50; Stephen Omoba, 30; Mohammed Oguche, 33; Akin Adepitan, 35; and Emeka Onwuka, 35.
They were brought before the Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on a three-count charge of conspiracy, attempted kidnapping and manslaughter.
However, they all pleaded not guilty to the offences.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Chinalu Uwadione, had told court that the offences were committed at different locations in the Zongo area of Seme in Badagry.
He said that the accused people had conspired to beat up a man whose identity had yet to be determined and that they threw the man’s corpse into the sea.
Uwadione said that offences contravened Sections 168, 227 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The Magistrate, A.S. Okubule, admitted the accused people to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Okubule said that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused and that the surety must also show proof of evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The case has been adjourned until August 24 for mention.