Passenger Stabs Conductor To Death Over #350 Change In Lagos

 A 56-year-old man simply identified as Monday Akpan, has been accused of killing a bus conductor, Saheed Jimoh, by stabbing him with a pair of scissors in the neck over N350 change.
            The incident happened at Ojuelegba Bus Stop in the Surulere area of Lagos.
             Our correspondent learnt that on the fateful day, Akpan and some other passengers had boarded a vehicle from Ketu en route to Ojuelegba.
The transport fare was said to have been fixed for N150.


However, many of the passengers gave the bus conductor N500 note, while Jimoh protested that he did not have N350 change.
On getting to the bus terminus at Ojuelegba, the deceased reportedly paired Akpan up with another passenger, giving them N700 ─ N500 and N200 notes.
The Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State indigene reportedly seized the money and left.
Twenty-five-year-old Jimoh, who thought he was running away with the money was said to have rushed after him and pulled him by the shirt.
This was said to have sparked an argument, then a fight.
In the ensuing brawl, the suspect allegedly brought out a pair of scissors and stabbed Jimoh in the neck.
He reportedly died from the injuries.
Akpan was arrested and arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court on Monday on one count of murder.
The charge reads, “That you, Monday Akpan, on May 31, 2014, at about 5am, at Ojuelegba Bus Stop, Surulere Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Saheed Jimoh, aged 25 years, by stabbing him with a pair of scissors on his neck and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.”
The defendant’s plea was not taken.
The police prosecutor, Corporal Iyobosa Onaiwu, asked the court to remand Akpan in prison pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
“Our application is brought sequel to Section 264 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011. The remand will help the police duplicate the case file and obtain legal advice from the DPP,” she said.
The defence counsel, however, prayed the court to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the matter.
The Investigation Police Officer, Inspector Tunde Opaogun, of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, briefed the court on the facts, saying the matter was transferred from the Surulere Police Division.
In a remand application, he added that the defendant confessed to the crime and was identified by witnesses.
“However, there will be need for further investigation,” Opaogun said.
The Magistrate, Mr. F.J. Adefioye said, “Having listened to the preliminary enquiry from the IPO, the court is convinced that there is need to remand the defendant in prison pending the DPP’s legal advice.”
The matter was adjourned till July 30, 2014.