A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday ordered the remand of a 25-year-old farmer, Msuega Aorkwagh, in Makirdi Correctional Centre over alleged conspiracy, arson and theft.

Aorkwagh, who lives at Mbakuha Mbayila, in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue, is facing charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, mischief by fire, threat to life and theft.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Kelvin Mbanongun, did not take the defendant’s plea for want of jurisdiction but ordered his remand in the correctional facility.

Mbanongun adjourned the matter till Aug 6 for further mention.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Godwin Ato, told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Ushongo, to the State CID, Makurdi, via a letter on June 21.

Ato said that the complainant, Msaa Madugu, in his petition dated June 19, accused the defendant of burning his farmland and other property

According to Madugu, the defendant conspired with 14 others and destroyed his property worth over N5 million.

The complainant said that the defendant and his accomplices criminally trespassed into his thatched house and stole palm kernel, valued at N50,000.

“They came back and set my 19 thatched houses and one three-bedroom flat on fire for daring to report the first incident to the police,” Madugu said in his petition.

The complainant further stated that his attackers used power saw to cut down his orange trees and other economic trees like yam and cassava as well as his pepper farm.

He put the value of all these at N5 million, adding that they also threatened to kill anybody who dared to stop them.

The prosecutor said the defendant was arrested during police investigation and that he had confessed to committing the crime, while the other persons were still at large.

The offences, according to him, contravene Sections 97, 349, 338, 398 and 288 of the Penal Code, Laws of Benue, 2004. (NAN