Court remands cop for killing tennis star

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An Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court has ordered that a policeman, Joseph Aminu, be remanded in prison for allegedly killing a tennis player, Beauty Mcleod.

The magistrate, Miss K.A. Ariyo, ordered that the defendant be remanded pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

PUNCH Metro had reported that the deceased was allegedly shot on Sunday, October 25, by Aminu, who was attached to the Emperor’s Guest House on Balarabe Musa Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Beauty, who was from Anambra State, and her daughter, Angel, had lodged in the hotel in the afternoon of the fateful day on their arrival from Accra, Ghana, where Angel had participated in a tournament.

Her mother was reportedly going outside the hotel around 10pm to meet a friend, Betsy Garrett, who was waiting at the car park, when the security guard challenged her, claiming that she had been going out repeatedly.

The guard reportedly called on the policeman to intervene in the matter, which degenerated into an altercation.

The police corporal was said to have slapped her and she retaliated with a stone.

He was alleged to have opened fire on Beauty, injuring her in the leg.

The killer policeman reportedly also prevented her friend from taking her to a hospital for about an hour, causing her to lose a substantial amount of blood. She died at the hospital.

Aminu, who was subsequently arrested was said to have confessed to the crime.

A remand warrant from the Investigating Police Officer stated that he was arrested with exhibits, including a weapon, adding that there were witnesses ready to testify in court.

Aminu was subsequently arraigned on one count of murder, which read, “That you, Joseph Aminu, on October 26, 2015 at about 2am at 900 Balarabe Musa Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, did cause the death of one Nnena Oba Mike (Beauty), aged 35 years, by shooting her with an AK 47 rifle with number 7290 on her left thigh and neck.”

The police prosecutor, Sergeant Matthew Akhaluode, said the offence was punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

Akhaluode then applied that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending legal advice from the DPP.

The magistrate granted the request and adjourned the matter till December 1, 2015.

Source: Punch