- Witness says deceased found stabbed, coughing blood
BY CHINYERE OBIORA – Two teenagers are currently standing trial at the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square for the alleged murder of a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor, Babatunde Dada
The court heard on Tuesday that Pastor Dada, was found coughing blood after being allegedly stabbed and robbed by the teenagers whom he helped off the streets and gave accommodation after getting them a job.
The suspects, Farouk Mohammed, 16, and Kasali Jamiu, 19, said to be new converts to Christianity at the Church branch in Festac where the pastor worked, are standing trial for the murder of Dada, 46, on December 2, 2021
Following their arraignment before Justice Sherifat Sonaike by the Lagos State Government, the court ordered that both Mohammed and Jamiu should be remanded in prison custody.
The two teenagers were first charged on January 12, 2022, before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court alongside two others, Mumuni Toheeb, 21, and Mubarak Soliu, 20, who allegedly received a Spark S Techno phone valued at N60,000, property of the deceased.
At the resumption of proceedings, the deceased’s younger brother, Michael Dada, was led in evidence before the court by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins.
Dr. Martins told the court that the defendants conspired and allegedly killed Dada on December 2, 2021, around noon at the RCCG, Road 13, 6th Avenue, Festac area of Lagos.
He claimed that the suspects killed the deceased by hitting him on the head with a wooden plank and a bottle, adding that they also robbed the late Pastor of his bag and a mobile phone.
Affirming that Dada was a pastor at RCCG Resurrection Chapel on 6th Avenue, Festac Town, Lagos, the witness (Michael) narrated how his elder brother was found after the stabbing, saying; “On the 2nd of December 2021, I received a call from my younger sister, Oluwakemi Dada who lived with my deceased brother. She was screaming on the phone, that my brother was lying in a pool of blood in the church.
“Before getting to the church, she called me back that my brother had been taken to Navy Town Hospital. There I found him already confirmed dead”.
Michael said when he enquired from his sister what happened, “She told me that there were two strange boys working with them whom the church had accommodated.
“According to her, when she interrogated my deceased brother about them, he said they were new converts and the church had accommodated them on the church premises. He said he didn’t want the two boys to be stranded or roaming around the church premises so decided to engage them in his laundry business.
“The boys started working with him and were going to be paid. According to my sister Oluwakemi, on that fateful day, my deceased brother told her and the other laundry workers he was going to the bank and that he would be back.
“She said when he came back, he went upstairs in the church to go and rest. After a while, she wondered why he had not come down after resting for quite sometime. One of the laundry workers went upstairs to pick a cloth to wash. On getting there, he screamed. I asked my sister why they were not listening. They said the generator was on.
“The worker screamed and called the rest. They all met the Pastor in a pool of blood and he was coughing up blood. They noticed that the two strange boys, Farouk and Jamiu were not there.”
Michael said he asked about the deceased’s phone but it was nowhere to be found and some of the deceased’s belongings.
“I quickly got in contact with the pastor in charge, he continued by then the news had spread. Later in the day, the pastor in charge and his wife came to confirm his body at the Navy Town Hospital. The matter was reported to Festac Police Station.”
During cross examination, the first defendant’s counsel, Mr Oyekanmi Isijola, asked the witness how he got to know about the incident. The witness said the incident was relayed to him by his sister, that he didn’t witness it.
Counsel to the second defendant, Mr. Spurgeon Ataene asked the witness, if knew when the defendants were engaged to work in the laundry service of the church.
“I do not know, I am only aware of the incident of December 2nd and it was communicated to me by my sister,” the witness said.
The court could not proceed with the second witness, Inspector Daniel Olumuyiwa, because his name was not listed on the list of witnesses.
Justice Shonaike adjourned till December 12, 2022 for hearing of the defendants’ bail applications and January 10, 2023 for continuation of trial.
The suspects are arraigned on four count charge bordering on conspiracy to murder, murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery.
However, they pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them
