An Oredo Magistrate Court Sitting in Benin City, the Edo State Capital, has issued a warrant of arrest on one Mr. Billy Igbinoba, who is standing trial on an alleged murder case.
The defendant whose bail was revoked by the court following a perceived abscondment from trials is being accused of killing two Police Officers who were reportedly on duty on June 26, 2016.
It was gathered that trouble started when the murder suspect now at large whose parents are farmers in Obayuwana village in the state witnessed the hidden of two police guns with live ammunition by some suspects at the back of their toilet on June 26 night.
Narrating Bill’s ordeal to newsmen in Benin, a close source to the family who never wanted his name mentioned, said that following his discovery, Bill reported the issue to the Police.
The source claimed that upon hearing Bill’s report, the Police went to the scene and recovered the guns and live ammunition, just as they (police), later discovered that the guns belong to two of its officers on duty that same day, hence, Bill was detained for further interrogations.
“The Police recovered from the scene the guns and live ammunition. They told my cousin Bill to follow them to the station to put down his statement.
“This he did and to his greatest surprise, the policemen detained him. When he asked why he was being detained, the police told Bill that the guns belonged to some Police Officers on duty that night, adding that he would only be let free upon seeing the two Police Officers”, the source said.
The issue it was gathered further later took a new twist as the two police officers who allegedly owes the guns and live ammunition were killed by suspected gunmen.
According to the source, the development later led to Bill’s arraignment in court for alleged murder case on July 11, 2016 where he was remanded in prison custody until his bail conditions were perfected by his lawyer.
“After series of arguments in court on that day, the presiding Magistrate later adjourned the case to August 8, 2016. My cousin’s lawyer later perfected his bail conditions and he was released on bail, this is even as the lawyer promised to present the defendant on every court sitting.
“However, we were shocked as family members discovered that Bill disappeared to an unknown location on August 11, 2016 when he left home and never returned back.
“All efforts to locate his whereabouts has not been successful, hence our passionate appeal to authorities who may know the whereabouts of Bill Igbinoba to ensure his safety, as he may be facing execution upon conviction”, the sources maintained.
The Police who said that the fleeing defendant is a heavy truck’s apprentice and from a family of four ( father, mother and a younger sibling), vowed to rearrest the accused and avenge the killings of their members.
