An 18-year- old man, Joshua Alwell has been remanded in Nigeria correctional centre, Umuahia by an Aba magistrate Court presided over by Magistrate Chidinma Onuoha, for killing his elder brother, Goodluck Alwell with a kitchen knife.
He was alleged to have stabbed his elder brother dead with a knife because of a dispute that erupted between them about N700 (seven hundred naira).
The defendant, according to the prosecutor, committed the murder on January 8, 2023 at No.38 old express road, Aba in Aba magisterial district.
Joshua was alleged to have stabbed his brother in his rib during the quarrel which caused his death, which the Court said, was an offence punishable under section 319(1) of the criminal code Cap 80 vol.3 Law of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.
The prosecutor, Mr Augustine Udo who tendered a Motion for Exparte before the magistrate Court pursuant to section 290(2) of the Abia State administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2017, requested for the remand of the defendant and also tendered the original case file as an exhibit in the matter.
The Presiding Magistrate, Chidinma Onuoha referred the matter to a High Court, saying that her Court did not have jurisdiction to handle it.
She thereby ordered that the defendant be remanded in Correctional centre till May 3, 2023 while original case file be transferred to office of the Attorney general for necessary actions.
Explaining why he killed his elder brother, the defendant Alwell Joshua said there was a dispute between him and his deceased brother because of N700 which later resulted to a fight between them.
Joshua claimed that his late brother confronted him with a broken bottle during the N700 disagreement which made him to pick a kitchen knife in self-defense during which he stabbed his brother dead.
He said he regretted his action, blaming the devil for misleading him.
