“While the investigation was ongoing, we received an order to charge all of them while the case file should be duplicated and sent to the DPP.

“The police ordered to exonerate the two but the DPP said no, that we should charge all four.”

The police prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, told the court that the defendants, Ime and Effiong, were charged with two counts of unlawful killing with arms.

Nurudeen added that the offences contravened Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.

The charge read in part, “That you, Johnson Imeh and Effiong Edet, on December 6, 2022, around 10pm at an estate in, Sangotedo, Ajah, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully killed the deceased, one Buraimo Gafaru, by firing him with AK 47 rifle and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”

The prosecutor requested that the defendants be remanded in a custodial centre pending the DPP’s advice.

Granting the request, the Magistrate, P. E Nwaka, ordered that the policemen be remanded in a custodial centre pending the DPP’s advice.

The case was adjourned till March 22, 2023.