Court frees church leader over armed robbery

A Lokoja Chief Magistrates’ Court has discharged a church leader, Mr.
Sam Keddy Balogun over charges of
conspiracy and robbery levelled against him. Balogun, who is also
the Commandant General of Mission for Africa Chaplain Corps
was last June paraded by the police
along with his orderly, Saliu Mohammed, by the police for alleged conspiracy, theft, robbery and for illegally being in possession
of firearms.

When the case came up for hearing
yesterday at the Chief Magistrates’
Court, the trial magistrate, Mrs. Joyce Abdulmalik said she received
a letter from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution
signed by one Emmanuel Ibinu, a
principal legal officer, who said
there was no case against Sam Keddy Balogun and therefore,
advised the court to set him (the
accused person) free.

The magistrate, while making her
ruling said she relied on the letter
and therefore discharged Sam
Keddy Balogun of the offences
levelled against him. As for his
orderly, she expunged the allegations of robbery, conspiracy
and illegally being in possession of
firearms against him and only
charged him for theft and therefore
advised the police prosecution to
modify his charge sheet in the next
appearance.